I’ve just come from one of the most remarkable and incredible choral concerts ever … here at the Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester! Tonight we heard the impossibly difficult, 40-part a cappella motet by Thomas Tallis, Spem in alium, for eight choirs of 5 voices each, considered the greatest piece of English early music. I… Read More Spem in alium … and more!
You may recall that when I retired from the organist position at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu that one of the things I would miss most was accompanying congregational singing. There’s something thrilling about pulling out all the stops and “letting it rip,” while supporting the exhilarating sound of people singing. Oh, I’ve accompanied plenty… Read More Will we ever sing together again?
I spent Friday at the North Carolina Museum of Art and by far, the most captivating experience was “Forty Part Motet” at a special exhibition called “You Are Here: Light, Color, and Sound Experiences.” It was a room full of 40 speakers—apparently every single singer had been miked individually in Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium for eight 5-part… Read More Forty part motet