Singers: David Hurley (countertenor), Robin Tyson (countertenor), Paul Phoenix (tenor), Philip Lawson (baritone), Christopher Gabbitas (baritone), Stephen Connolly (bass).
For a group like ours the choice of repertoire for recording often seems bewilderingly large. So why did we choose Portugese, Spanish and Mexican music from the period known as the Siglo de Orothe -Golden Age?
The idea came from our church concert programmes, where acoustics, space and atmosphere allow great scope for drama. Beginning at the back of the church with Crux fidelis and slowly moving eastwards as the piece unfolds has proved to be a magical way to start. More than one audience member has told us that if the concert had ended after that one piece, they would have gone home happy. But that would have denied them the chance of hearing one of the most famous pieces from this era - Alonso Lobo's incredible version of Versa est in luctum, which often closes the first half of the concerts. With our appetites whetted we then drew on collective knowledge and experience. The King's Singers album Fire Water (2000) had included a Benedictus by Morales and the Lamentations of Juan Gutierrez de Padilla, two composers we felt must be represented. Delving into the memory banks brought out a surprisingly large number of settings of the Versa est in luctum text. The musical references in it to harp, organ, and voices of weeping undoubtedly endeared it to composers, and we chose three more to accompany Lobo's. You will be able to hear a baj

£


n - the precursor to
the bassoon - playing in these settings and in other pieces besides. It provides an authentic sound, giving a special quality that immeasurably enhances the performances.
Label: Signum Year: 2008

Pubished reviews

The Golden Age: Classic FM Magazine May 08

A 40th anniversary release from the King's Singers, emotionally charged yet immaculate execution, includes unmissable performances of Lobo's Lamentations and Versa est in luctum.     Andrew Stewart   5 STARS...
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The Golden Age, The Observer May 08

Despite many changes of personnel over the past 40 years, the King's Singers maintain their unmistakable cool timbre, faultless intonation and smooth blend - almost too smooth at times in these examples of passionate, sensuous 16th-century Spanish, Portuguese and Mexican polyphony, the first release marking their anniversary. Signum has also...
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Hilary Finch at Cadogan Hall, London SW1

    From The Times February 4, 2008 The King's Singers Hilary Finch at Cadogan Hall, London SW1 Scarlet ties, blue velvet suits and little dumbshows of fluting, plucking and drumming: this was the start of a series of three concerts celebrating the 40th anniversary of the King's Singers. And the audience loved it every...
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The Golden Age: BBC Music Magazine

BBC Music Magazine, April 08 The Golden Age of Iberian arts and culture effectively began with the reclamation of Granada from the Moors in 1492 and fizzled out sometime late in the 17th century.  In recent years many early music groups have been re-discovering the rich storehouse of Renaissance and Baroque...
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The Golden Age, Fono Forum May 2008

Fono Forum - May 08...
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The Golden Age, The Gramophone May 08

Lamentations can be glorious when delivered by these wonderful singers. The King's Singers mark their 40th anniversary this year. In London their first celebratory concert was devoted to music of the Spanish Renaissance, and reviewing in The Times Hilary Finch noted that in the second half "the riots of music...
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The Golden Age: ClassicsToday.com 10/10

By now The King's Singers certainly can record almost anything they want, and this program, focusing on repertoire from the "Golden Age" of Spanish, Portuguese, and Mexican vocal music, grew organically from the group's church concerts. The result is a collection of rarely-heard primarily polyphonic works from the 16th and...
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The Golden Age, The Times March 08

The King's Singers - The Golden Age - No coffee or whisky blend matches the suavity of the unaccompanied King's Singers. Their intonation is excellent in this sumptuous collection of Spanish, Portuguese and Mexican church Music. The opening processional raises the risks of British politeness, but the voices gather colour...
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Customer Reviews