THE Ebor Singers begin their 20th year of concerts in York tomorrow night with an ambitious musical journey, based around Joby Talbot’s Path Of Miracles, in the Chapter House of York Minster.
This large-scale piece follows the most enduring route of Roman Catholic pilgrimage, the pilgrimage to Santiago, with the movements of Path Of Miracles given the names of the main staging posts of Camino Frances.
“Joby Talbot has gone on quite a significant journey of his own,” says the York choir’s director, Paul Gameson. “He started his career as arranger for Neil Hannon’s pop group The Divine Comedy, with credits including the Father Ted theme tune, but now he’s much in demand as a composer for film, TV and ballet, and his first opera Everest has just opened in Dallas.”
Introducing Path Of Miracles, Paul says: “This remarkable work captures the wonder of the medieval traveller, with long unfolding melodies and rhythms reflecting the long arduous journey, before glorious sonorities at the arrival at Santiago de Compostela. The acoustic of the Chapter House will be ideal for Talbot’s sound world.”
Keeping with the Spanish theme, tomorrow’s 7.30pm programme also features the Requiem by 16th-century Spanish composer Tomas Luis de Victoria, the composer’s last published work and seen as the last flowering of Renaissance polyphony.
“Although this is the first concert of our 20th anniversary year, we’ve already been busy in 2015, having embarked on a recording project in collaboration with Chelys Consort of Viols, featuring music from the English Civil War, and particularly music performed during the Siege of York in 1644,” says Paul.
Coming next, the choir will sing Stainer’s The Crucifixion in York Minster on Wednesday, April 1 at 7.30pm as part of the Minster’s Holy Week services. Forthcoming concerts will include music by Byrd and James Macmillan on May 30 and a gala concert of Charpentier, Bach and Vivaldi works on June 27 for the choir’s anniversary celebrations.
Full details can be found at eborsingers.org
Tickets for Path Of Miracles are on sale on 01904 557208 or on the door.
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