Consumed with Sorrow – workshop for voices with Angus Smith on 8th November

Consumed with Sorrow – Renaissance Masterpieces inspired by loss.

Whether it was the passing of a much-loved and respected individual, or a response to calamities that befell whole nations, these occasions inspired outstanding composers to write some of their finest and most exquisite music. This programme of stunning pieces – to be presented by a tutor new to us, tenor Angus Smith, founder-member of the Orlando Consort and regular contributor to many leading early music vocal groups,  – follows the development of compositional styles across Burgundy, the Low Countries, Spain, Italy and England from the 1450s to the 1550s, and features Robert White’s majestic 5-part setting of the Lamentations of Jeremiah.

• Guillaume Dufay Lamentatio sanctae matris ecclesiae Constaninopolitanae 
• Johannes Ockeghem Mort tu as navré
• Josquin Desprez Nymphes des bois
• Heinrich Isaac Quis dabit pacem populo timenti
• Tordesillas Lamentations of Jeremiah (4-part)
• Robert White Lamentations of Jeremiah (5-part)
• Thomas Tomkins When David heard

Printed music for this workshop will be provided free of charge on the day of the event by music publisher Stainer & Bell and participants are welcome to keep them after the event subject to respecting copyright conditions. A limited number of scores will be available on request for posting out to individuals in advance. Please note: Due to time constraints, it may be that sections of some of the pieces listed will be considered rather than the complete work. However, White’s Lamentations will be sung in its entirety

Angus Smith was a choral scholar at St John’s College, Cambridge, and a post-graduate singing student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He sang regularly with many leading early music ensembles, including the Taverner Consort, Tallis Scholars, the Sixteen, and the Gabrieli Consort, and is perhaps most often associated with the Orlando Consort of which he was a permanent member from its foundation in 1988 through to the group’s retirement in 2023. The Consort performed at Britain’s top festivals (including the BBC Proms and the Edinburgh International Festival), featured all across Europe (including the famous Salzburg and Lucerne Festivals), made over 30 concert tours to the USA (inc. Boston Early Music Festival and Carnegie Hall), and travelled to Singapore, Japan, Bolivia and Peru. The Consort also regularly presented workshops with local musicians and at prestigious universities, and had a distinguished recording career, releasing 39 CDs (twice earning the accolade of ‘Early Music CD of the Year’ from Gramophone Magazine).

Angus now works with the highly respected music publisher Stainer & Bell and is the Artistic Director of the Music at Paxton Chamber Music Festival in the Scottish Borders.

Venue:  St Nicholas Church, Warwick. https://www.stnicholaswarwick.org.uk
St. Nicholas Church is located on the southern edge or Warwick – adjacent to St Nicholas Park and opposite the south entrance to the castle.
There is no church car park, but St Nicholas Park car park (CV34 4QY) is directly behind the church, accessed via the A425 Banbury Road. This is a ‘pay and display’ car park 7 days a week. The maximum charge is £8.00. Payment is by card or the RingGo App.

Warwick station is less than 10 mins walk away. From the exit walk to the Coventry Road and turn right. At St John’s junction at the traffic lights, cross straight ahead towards St John’s Museum. Turn right into St Nicholas Church Street – the church is on the left at the end of this road.

Booking is now open – click here to book your place by Sunday 2nd November.

Workshop Organiser: Jill Davies:  daviesmusic@btinternet.com     07721 317030