The Choral Pilgrimage 2014: The Voice of the Turtle Dove | The Sixteen

For its 14th Choral Pilgrimage The Sixteen and Harry Christophers revisit the golden age of renaissance polyphony with a stunning programme of music by English composers John Sheppard, Richard Davy and William Mundy.

Mundy’s monumental work Vox patris caelestis, the text of which comes from the Song of Songs, can be considered as the culmination of the great antiphon tradition, while Sheppard's musical style contains all the grandness of English harmonic invention. This year’s programme includes Sheppard’s glorious seven-part work Libera nos as well as his sublime Gaude, gaude, gaude Maria. Davy is the second most represented of all the composers in the Eton Choirbook and the mere fact that his music survived the Reformation is nothing short of a miracle. It is believed he wrote his monumental O Domine caeli terraeque in the span of a single day during his time at Magdalen College, Oxford.

Harry Christophers says of the 2014 tour ‘Each one of these works is a real gem just waiting to be discovered by a wider audience. This music is part of our great heritage and I look forward to you joining us on this pilgrimage of discovery.’

There will be a free pre-concert talk from Harry Christophers and a member of The Sixteen before this concert, exploring the context and performance practice of the repetoire.