Stephen Layton's 30th anniversary concert

This concert in celebration of Stephen’s 30 years as director of the Holst Singers features works by composers closely associated with Stephen and the choir.

At the centre of the programme is Arvo Pärt’s , setting the traditional ‘O’ advent antiphons (O Wisdom, O Adonaii, etc) in Pärt’s distinctive ‘tintinnabuli’ (or ‘ringing of bells’) style, where rhythmic, harmonic and melodic elements are used in simple repeating structures to give the music a powerfully mesmerising and intensely spiritual impact. Another work by Pärt, takes an unusual text from Luke’s gospel that lists the full ancestry of Jesus (all 50 generations of it) and creates a lively engaging work full of colour and contrast that will certainly raise a smile.Seven Magnificat Antiphonswhich was the son of…

Taverner’s sets words from the Orthodox priestly burial service. The moving text is given central prominence in this serene setting that adapts Russian chants in Tavener’s…