The Sixteen and Harry Christophers get ready for Christmas in Oxford

By Sarah Reid, 28 December 2012

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Reviewed at SJE Arts at St John the Evangelist Church, Oxford on 20 December 2012

Traditional, This is the truth sent from above

des Prez, Praeter rerum seriem

Byrd, Lullaby, my sweet little baby

Howells, Sing lullaby

Mouton, Nesciens mater

Ravenscroft, Remember, O thou man

Traditional, Coventry Carol

Oldham, Remember, O thou man

des Prez, O virgo prudentissima

Howells, A Spotless Rose

Anonymous, There is no rose of such virtue

Leighton, Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child

Traditional, Wexford Carol

de Lassus, Magnificat super Praeter rerum seriem

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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Sarah Reid

Sarah studied Music at Cambridge University, graduating in 2010 and now works for Rhinegold Publishing coordinating their music directories and listings supplements. Sarah is a regular concert- and theatre-goer and appreciates most music – with the exception of heavy metal and Wagner.