The Erleigh Cantors’ May concert this year reunited a number of pieces from recent Cathedral visits, by English and Spanish composers.
It wasn’t all familiar territory to me, however. Having missed last July’s weekend in Hereford, I hadn’t previously sung the Te Deum by Jeremy Filsell (known to me at friend-of-friend level from my undergraduate days). This fell into place fairly easily once I’d got used to the major/minor alternation which is a prominent feature. Another piece most other people sang last July was Vivanco’s Magnificat on the 8th tone, which proved quite challenging because of the large number of parts (with a single 4-part verse just to catch you out if you weren’t on the top or bottom line).
Furthermore, we sang the whole of Guerrero’s Mass Congratulamini mihi, including Kyrie and Creed, and this time I was singing 2nd soprano. Another piece from our Winchester visit was the Nunc Dimittis from Weelkes’ setting ‘for trebles’. A piece that was totally new to me was O vos omnes by Victoria, one of three settings of this text in the European Sacred Music volume.
Our programme was completed with some well-known anthems by Byrd, Tallis and Victoria (as well as the last’s Ave virgo sanctissima) and as a rousing finale Parry’s I was glad.
This Saturday evening concert was the beginning of a heavily cultural weekend, and I dashed off in the direction of my next engagement.