WARWICK-based singers and instrumentalists, Armonico Consort, have announced their latest appearances.
In a concert entitled ‘Big Byrd’, the renowned choir celebrates the fascinating life of William Byrd and his musical world on Saturday (January 28) at St Mary’s Church in Warwick. Thought by many to be the greatest British composer of the Renaissance, 2023 marks the 400th anniversary of his death.
Under the baton of founder and director, Christopher Monks, the musicians will surround the audience to create an innovative and immersive ‘surround sound’ effect.
They’re joined by the period instruments of the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble to bring to life some of the great works by Byrd including his Mass for Four Voices and Te Deum from the Great Service.
Christopher Monks said: “In this concert, we’ve intermingled some of Byrd’s greatest masterpieces with other music by him. But there was also a surprising amount of composer jet-setting in this era, so we’re including music by European masters like Josquin Des Prez and Johannes Ockeghem whose music Byrd must undoubtedly have known and been influenced by.”
Byrd has long been a mainstay of Armonico Concert and their recordings ‘Naked Byrd’ and ‘Naked Byrd II’ are best sellers, regularly heard on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM.
Armonico Consort are back at St Mary’s twice in March. On March 16, their AC Academy choirs join The King’s Singers – one of the best-known a cappella groups in the world – and a host of Warwickshire school choirs in a unique project. Then on March 30, Armonico give an Easter performance of Bach’s choral masterpiece St Matthew Passion with the finest soloists and period instrument musicians.
Tickets for Armonico Consort’s Big Byrd are avaialble from www.armonico.org.uk
