The Sixteen - Eamonn Dougan

For more than thirty years, Harry Christophers' British ensemble, The Sixteen, has been among the world's best when it comes to choral music. The recording of Victoria's 'Requiem 1605' it made in 2005 warmly pleads the case for less well known Renaissance gems and sets an absolute benchmark. Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548-1611) is one of the standard bearers of the Spanish Late Renaissance. He spent a large part of his life in Rome, then the centre of the musical world. Back in Spain, he wrote this requiem on the death of the sister of Philip II. Each section begins with a short Gregorian melody sung in unison by the high sopranos, from which it develops further. The score draws its power in the first place from its sense of melody. Besides the 'Requiem 1605', The Sixteen sing Marian music and items from the Canticles. One cannot fail to be moved by Christophers' sensitive interpretation of the long, six-voice 'Salve Regina', within the interweaving of whose melismatic melodies he treads sure-footedly. Moreover, he finds scope in this music to draw out the most delicate pianissimi from his singers. Be sure not to miss what is a veritable feast of choral music!