Heavenly music: The Sixteen in Oxford's Christ Church Cathedral

By Katy Wright, 15 April 2013

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Reviewed at St John's College Chapel, Cambridge on 13 April 2013

Traditional, Regina caeli

Palestrina, Missa Regina Caeli: Kyrie

Allegri, Miserere mei, Deus

MacMillan, Dominus Dabit Benignitatem

Palestrina, Improperium expectavit cor meum

MacMillan, The Strathclyde Motets: Videns Dominus

Palestrina, Stabat Mater

Palestrina, Regina caeli

Palestrina, Vineam meam non custodivi

MacMillan, The Strathclyde Motets: O Radiant Dawn

Palestrina, Song of Songs: Pulchrae sunt genae tuae

MacMillan, Miserere

Palestrina, Missa Regina Caeli: Agnus Dei

The Sixteen

Harry Christophers, Conductor

Bach and Gluck resound in Bath Abbey with The Sixteen

Roy Westbrook, 21st February

Large ecclesiastical buildings, with their hard surfaces and long high naves, are challenging for complex music like Bach’s.

****1

Angel of Peace: The Sixteen’s annual choral pilgrimage

Leighton Jones, 4th April

Harry Christophers and The Sixteen refresh their choral pilgrimage with works old and new, that show innovative programming at its imaginative best.

*****

Heavenly sounds from The Sixteen with Harry Christophers in Dublin

Andrew Larkin, 20th June

The Sixteen offer glorious tones, smooth polyphonic lines and vivid word paintings at the National Concert Hall.

****1

Uneven Mozart and Haydn from The Sixteen at Cadogan Hall

Mark Valencia, 16th February

The Sixteen’s work is spoilt by a shortage of violins and some uneven solo contributions. Such imperfections only serve to highlight the excellence of the very best.

***11

The Sixteen and Julian Joseph: a one-sided conversation

David Karlin, 27th January

The latest instalment of Kings Place's “Sound Unwrapped” series delivers wonderful musicianship in both jazz and early music, but not the promised “continuous fusion of styles”.

***11

Exalted Messiah: The Sixteen and Harry Christophers

Roy Westbrook, 6th December

How do you conduct the same over-familiar work for the 200th time, and make it sound quite new?

*****

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Katy Wright

As News Editor at Rhinegold, Katy contributes news pieces and longer features to publications including Classical Music, Music Teacher and International Piano (both digital and print editions). She writes on a freelance basis for publications including Sinfini Music and TEMPO.