Tenebrae sing Pärt, Tallis and Tavener at the Elbphilharmonie

Nigel Short conducts Tenebrae at the Elbphilharmonie

By Mengguang Huang, 24 October 2025

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“using movement, positioning and spatial design to make vocal polyphony visible”

Reviewed at Elbphilharmonie: Grand Hall, Hamburg on 23 October 2025

Tavener, Song for Athene

Gibbons, Drop, drop slow tears (arr. Christian Forshaw)

Byrd, Ave verum corpus

Williams, Ave Verum Corpus Re-Imagined

Pärt, Missa syllabica: Gloria

Tavener, Hymn to the Mother of God

Tavener, Mother and Child

Pärt, Sieben Magnificat-Antiphonen: O Weisheit

Pärt, The Beatitudes

Pärt, Cantate Domino canticum novum

Pärt, The woman with the alabaster box

Whitacre, When David heard

Chin, Nulla est finis - a prelude to "Spem in alium"

Tallis, Spem in Alium

Tenebrae

George Herbert, Organ

Nigel Short, Conductor

Time stands still in Vilde Frang’s Elgar

Mark Pullinger, 12th September

In an evening pairing two English classics, Sir Antonio Pappano conducts the London Symhony Orchestra in Elgar’s Violin Concerto and an out-of-this-world account of Holst’s The Planets.

*****

A rapt performance from Tenebrae in Joby Talbot’s Path of Miracles

David Truslove, 13th May

Thought-provoking and spine-tingling in equal measure, this performance of Joby Talbot’s pilgrimage work showcases Tenebrae as one of the UK’s most significant choral groups.

****1

A luminous start to Rachmaninov's anniversary year from Tenebrae

Benjamin Poore, 26th January

Nigel Short's elite consort casts a candlelit spell at St Martin-in-the-Fields in a performance of Rachmaninov's All Night Vigil.

****1

Light amid darkness: stellar performance from Tenebrae

David Larkin, 22nd January

An exquisite evening of British 20th-century choral music from Tenebrae under Nigel Short at the Sydney Festival, with outstanding renditions of the music of Parry, Bingham and Stanford.

*****

Tenebrae performs Tenebrae at the Sydney Festival

Zoltán Szabó, 21st January

British choir Tenebrae performs Masterworks of the Renaissance in Sydney's City Recital Hall.

****1

Tenebrae weaves a mesmerising spell at Perth Festival of the Arts

David Smythe, 22nd May

Stunningly beautiful commemorative British choral music from Tenebrae under Nigel Short at Perth Festival of the Arts in St John’s Kirk’s wonderful acoustic.

****1

More reviews...

Mengguang Huang

Mengguang Huang is a Hamburg-based project manager in the construction industry. With a strong passion for classical music, he was introduced to the world of early music during his time in the UK, where he developed a particular fondness for renaissance and Baroque vocal music. Driven by his love for this genre, he now makes it a priority to attend major Baroque opera productions and concerts across Western Europe whenever possible, continuing to deepen his appreciation for this rich musical tradition.

Tenebrae’s spatial sonic experiment: Pärt, Tallis and Tavener at the Elbphilharmonie