CORO The Sixteen Edition CORO The Essential Collection 2 CDs The Fairy Queen Handel: Dixit Dominus Henry Purcell (2 CD set) Steffani: Stabat Mater CORO The Sixteen Edition Based on Shakespeare's CORO The Sixteen Edition The Sixteen adds to 2 CDs A Midsummer Night's its stunning Handel Purcell Dream, The Fairy Queen Handel collection with a The Fairy Queen The Fairy Queen Dixit Dominus Ann Murray was composed in 1691/2 brand new recording The Lorna Anderson Gillian Fisher Steffani Michael Chance and remains without of his Dixit Dominus John Mark Ainsley Stabat Mater Ian Partridge Richard Suart doubt one of Purcell's set alongside a little Michael George The Sixteen greatest works adding his The Sixteen know treasure - harry christophers magic, wit and sensuality harry christophers Agostino Steffani’s Sixteen cor16005 to that of the play. cor16076 Stabat Mater. Compilation by: Robin Tyson - podiummusic.co.uk Re-mastering: Matt Howell (Floating Earth) Cover image: The Concert of Angels 1534-36, by Gaudenzio Ferrari (1474/80-1546) detail of fresco in the Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie, Saronno, Italy Sounds The Bridgeman Art Library Nationality/copyright status: Italian/out of copyright Design: Andrew Giles - [email protected] For further information about recordings on CORO or live performances and tours by Sublime The Sixteen, call +44 (0) 20 7488 2629 or email [email protected] 2009 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. The Voices of © 2009 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. Made in Great Britain The Sixteen To find out more about The Sixteen, concert tours, and to buy CDs visit HARRY CHRISTOPHERS www.thesixteen.com cor16073 Sounds Sublime The Sixteen The Definitive Collection CD1 CD2 1 J. S. Bach Magnificat anima mea Dominum (from Magnificat in D, BWV 243) 2.55 1 G. F. Handel Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (from Solomon, HWV 67) 3.03 2 Tomás Luis de Victoria Ave Maria a 8 4.03 2 W. A. Mozart Laudate Dominum (from Vesperae solennes de Confessore K339) * 3.59 3 W. A. Mozart Ave verum corpus (K618) * 2.54 3 Gregorio Allegri Miserere Mei [Soloists: Sopranos: Ruth Dean & Sally Dunkley, 12.11 4 Domenico Scarlatti Iste confessor [Soprano soloist: Libby Crabtree] 3.23 Alto: Christopher Royall, Bass: Christopher Purves] 5 Thomas Tallis Spem in alium 9.35 4 Giovanni Pierluigi 6 Henry Purcell Man that is born of a woman (from Funeral Sentences, first set) 2.43 da Palestrina Kyrie (from Missa Papae Marcelli) 3.56 7 Henry Purcell Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts (1695) 2.01 5 Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla Deus in adiutorium meum intende 2.08 8 G. F. Handel Coronation Anthem: Zadok the Priest (HWV 258) 5.43 6 Tomás Luis de Victoria O Domine Iesu Christe 3.36 9 Johannes Brahms Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen (from Ein Deutsches Requiem) 6.32 7 John Sheppard Libera nos 3.22 [Piano duet: Gary Cooper & Christopher Glynn] 8 Frank Martin Agnus Dei (from Mass for Double Choir) 5.41 bl Antonio Lotti Crucifixus a 8 3.14 9 John Tavener The Lamb 3.35 bm John Tavener A Hymn to the Mother of God 3.18 bl bn António Teixeira Te gloriosus Apostolorum (from Te Deum)[Soprano soloist: Lynda Russell] 5.18 Tomás Luis de Victoria Funeral motet: Versa est in luctum 4.03 bo Leonard Bernstein Spring Song (from The Lark) [Alto soloist: Nigel Short] 1.54 bm Samuel Barber Agnus Dei [Soprano soloist: Ruth Dean] 8.25 bp Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur La voix du bien-aimé (from Le Cantique des Cantiques) 3.49 bn Benjamin Britten Advance Democracy 3.17 bq Gabriel Fauré Pie Jesu (from Requiem) * [Soprano soloist: Elin Manahan Thomas] 3.23 bo G. F. Handel Hallelujah (from Messiah HWV 56) 3.52 br Francis Poulenc Una hora (from Sept Répons des Ténèbres) † 3.27 bp J. S. Bach Chorus - Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben (from Cantata BWV 147) 2.42 bs Benjamin Britten A Hymn of Saint Columba 1.59 bq Antonio Vivaldi Gloria in excelsis Deo (from Gloria in D) 2.26 bt G. F. Handel Moses and the children of Israel (from Israel in Egypt, HWV 54) 0.57 br J. S. Bach Cantata 50: Nun ist das Heil und die Kraft (BWV 50) 3.43 bu G. F. Handel I will sing unto the Lord (from Israel in Egypt, HWV 54) 2.41 bs G. F. Handel Let the bright seraphim (from Samson HWV 57) (Air & Chorus) 6.29 [Soprano soloist: Nicola Jenkin] [Soprano soloist: Lynne Dawson, Trumpet: Crispian Steele-Perkins] cl J. S. Bach Quoniam tu solus sanctus (from Mass in B minor, BWV 232) 4.30 [Bass soloist: Michael George, Horn: Roger Montgomery] Total Running Time 76.43 cm J. S. Bach Cum Sancto Spiritu (from Mass in B minor, BWV 232) 3.50 * with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields Total Running Time 78.21 † with the BBC Philharmonic 2 3 problem of planes circling as a result of how music might have been performed in airport congestion (probably the single most Handel’s London, Vivaldi’s Venice or other Sounds Sublime annoying interference), traffic noise, school Sounds Sublime great centres of musical production and hen The Sixteen made its London break-times, road-works, tree felling and mong the big ideas of theoretical display. An equally profound collective Wdebut in May 1979, I never thought even, on one bizarre occasion, the local Aphysics, not to mention countless sci- experience and shared artistry, developed that thirty years later we would have a council’s demonstration of the wheelie bin! fi plots, time travel is guaranteed to seize over the last thirty years, can be heard in discography of nigh on a hundred titles with However, Mark and Mike are always there to the imagination. Who wouldn’t want to all its diverse glory in the pieces assembled over half of these on our own label CORO. keep us calm and focussed. turn back the clock and discover how our from The Sixteen’s abundant catalogue Recording has been, and still is, a very ancestors lived, to witness history’s making of recordings. Sounds Sublime includes When it was suggested that we should important part of our raison d’être. It never gets or experience the ritual drama of a date beautiful miniatures of sacred music, compile this album from our extensive any easier, but thankfully the actual process in the calendar of epoch defining events? discography, I began to jot down numerous sumptuous settings of devotional texts, and has been a joy, largely due to the convivial In lieu of a time machine, The Sixteen songs of sorrow and praise. yet expert manner of Mark Brown, our things but found myself listing far too many of my favourites and indeed not being at all and Harry Christophers have the means If our proposed itinerary of musical producer, and Mike Hatch, our engineer, both to transport you to glorious soundworlds time travel sounds far-fetched or hopelessly of whom have been with us for many years. objective. So it was decided that I should hand the task over to someone who would past. Sounds Sublime reaches back to the romantic, then turn an ear to Purcell’s We have recorded in many venues, from be objective; that person was Robin Tyson, heartlands of western religious music, its settings of the Funeral Sentences from The the warm and almost perfect sound of the known to many of you, no doubt, as one of programme complete with memorable Book of Common Prayer. Man that is Maltings in Snape to the very different The King’s Singers. Robin listened to every detours into sacred works written for born of a woman and Thou knowest, Lord, acoustics of London churches - All Hallows track on every disc and I must say that I am the secular concert hall. This enriching the secrets of our hearts were written for Gospel Oak, St Silas in Chalk Farm, St thrilled with the selection he has made; it retrospective sets its compass towards the the funeral service of Queen Mary, held Michael’s Highgate, St Jude-on-the-Hill demonstrates what an incredibly versatile twin peaks of divine contemplation and in Westminster Abbey in March 1695. in Hampstead Garden Suburb, St Paul’s ensemble The Sixteen is. So many areas of spiritual sustenance. The monarch’s popular appeal attracted Deptford, St Giles Cripplegate, All Saints music are visited yet all benefit from the Many of the pieces gathered together thousands onto the streets around Whitehall Tooting and St Augustine’s Kilburn. All varied approach to everything we do. This on these discs were written to accompany for the occasion, just as the funeral of were chosen specifically for the sound is a real tribute to everyone who has been a occasions long since buried in dusty Diana, Princess of Wales almost four we wanted to create with the appropriate part of The Sixteen. textbooks or crushed beneath the weight centuries later brought central London to repertoire. Occasionally we have been of obscure historical facts. Their sounds a standstill. Thou knowest, Lord, originally blessed with relatively quiet days but many are indeed sublime. They are informed ‘accompanied with flat mournful trumpets’, times we have had to cope with the perennial here by The Sixteen’s deep knowledge of also graced Purcell’s burial service and 4 5 played an affective part in the music heard at Leipzig’s St Thomas School. To mark his from music composed during his time history of western classical music.