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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Sacred Music: God’s Composer (Tomás Luis de Victoria)Presented by Simon Russell Beale
The Sacred Music journey continues with this special celebration marking the 400th anniversary of the death of the Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria. One of the greatest choral composer of the Renaissance, Victoria devoted his life to the church and his music is profoundly spiritual. Interwoven with Victoria’s music, this documentary follows Simon Russell Beale as he takes us through the life and times of Victoria. Harry Christophers and his award-winning ensemble, The Sixteen, perform Victoria’s music in the glorious setting of the Church of San Antonio de los Alemanes in Madrid, founded in 1606 by Philip III in Victoria's lifetime. Born in 1548, Tomás Luis de Victoria was fortunate to live at the height of the Counter-Reformation, at a time of great vitality in the Roman Church. Music and musicians played a prominent role in encouraging religious regeneration, so there were many opportunities for a musician of Victoria’s talent. Victoria devoted his life to the service of God and the music performed in this programme opens a window onto the world of this intensely spiritual man – scholar, mystic, priest, singer, organist and composer - six persons all rolled into one. This is an opportunity to celebrate his life and his creations, some of the most glorious work of the late Renaissance and the Spanish Golden Age. Bonus Features include: Exclusive Interviews - members of The Sixteen discuss Victoria Sacred Music Series One and An Easter Celebration DVD trailers 6 Bonus Audio Tracks taken from a selection of The Sixteen’s celebrated Victoria CDs Related Recordings by The Sixteen Artist Biographies and Images Region: NTSC Region 0 - Plays in all territories Subtitles: English & Spanish “With the help of a brisk factual narration by the actor Simon Russell Beale, quite a lot of ground is covered...The whole is punctuated with pleasing partial performances of ten works nicely recorded...If you have already decided that you like choral music then this will give you pleasure, but it is a celebration of tastes already acquired rather than a passionate advocate for new experience.” BBC Music Magazine, May 2012 **** “Forget the unctuous title: this documentary...strikes the right balance between words, images, and music...we hear entire motets; and quite often, when the music starts, the presenter, the engaging Simon Russell Beale, steps aside...The performances are very successful...Harry Christophers and his singers are heard at their not inconsiderable best” Gramophone Magazine, July 2012 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Sacred Music: A Christmas History & A Choral ChristmasPresented by Simon Russell Beale
Harry Christophers and The Sixteen join Simon Russell Beale for two special Christmas programmes that look beyond the familiar carols and festive songs to reveal two millennia of music and texts from across Europe. Bonus Features include: · Sacred Music Series One and An Easter Celebration DVD trailers · 7 Bonus Audio Tracks taken from a selection of The Sixteen’s celebrated Christmas CDs · Related Recordings by The Sixteen · Artist Biographies and Images A CHRISTMAS HISTORY Simon Russell Beale takes a journey through Italy, Britain, Germany and Austria as he explores how the sound of Christmas has evolved in response to changing ideas about the Nativity. His story takes us through two millennia of music, from a fragment of papyrus preserving the earliest known piece of Christian music to the stories behind Hark! The herald angels sing, Silent Night and In the bleak midwinter, and the work of popular Christmas composer, John Rutter all performed by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen. A CHORAL CHRISTMAS Simon Russell Beale introduces a programme of choral music for Christmas from across the centuries, featuring performances of some of the works featured in the accompanying documentary. Harry Christophers and The Sixteen, perform music including J.S. Bach's harmonisation of the medieval carol In dulci jubilo, A spotless rose by Herbert Howells and the Christmas text O magnum mysterium, set as a motet by Tomás Luis de Victoria. “it’s a worthy potted history of Christmas music. Simon Russell Beale is an engaging frontman, largely as he appears to know what he’s taking about rather than blankly reading from an autocue. And the musical extracts are well chosen, notably the third-century Oxyrhynchus hymn, the earliest known preserved piece of Christian music.” The Arts Desk, 14th December 2011 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | A Handel CelebrationThe Sixteen’s sell-out Proms concert
Harry Christophers and The Sixteen have long been celebrated for their interpretations of Handel’s great masterpieces. In this BBC Prom from the Royal Albert Hall they capture some of the composer’s most ebullient moments in concert performance, from the ever popular Arrival of the Queen of Sheba to the ubiquitous sounds of Zadok the Priest. All Four Coronation Anthems feature on this DVD as well as virtuosic excerpts from the oratorio Semele sung by Carolyn Sampson, and the Organ Concerto in F major performed by Alastair Ross in its original version which finishes with a rousing ‘Alleluia’ chorus. Bonus features include two works not shown in the BBC Two broadcast - Coronation Anthem My heart is inditing and Salve Regina. Bonus Features include: Exclusive Interview with Harry Christophers. Bonus Tracks: Coronation Anthem My heart is inditing Salve Regina (Carolyn Sampson soprano) Artist Biographies and Images “Harry Christophers's crack team pulls out all the stops...if the pomp and regal circumstance undoubtedly impress, Christophers's tender shaping of the sighing phrase, his expressive dynamic palate, combined with an ear for orcehstral detail, impress even more.” BBC Music Magazine, September 2010 **** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Sacred Music: An Easter CelebrationPresented by Simon Russell Beale
Allegri: | Miserere mei, Deus Sally Dunkley, Elin Manahan Thomas, David Clegg & Eamonn Dougan | Anerio, F: | Stabat Mater a 12 | Bach, J S: | Motet BWV229 'Komm, Jesu, komm!' | Byrd: | Quomodo cantabimus Ye sacred muses - an elegy for Thomas Tallis Mass for four voices - Agnus Dei Elin Manahan Thomas, Christopher Royall, Mark Dobell & Eamonn Dougan Haec dies | Gregorian Chant: | Vexilla Regis | Monte, P: | Super flumina Babylonis | Palestrina: | Gloria (from Missa Papae Marcelli) Assumpta est Maria a 6 | Perotinus: | Viderunt omnes | Tallis: | Salvator mundi, salva nos |
In the finale to series one of the Sacred Music programme, Simon Russell Beale presents a special concert for Easter from LSO St Luke's in London, performed by the award-winning choir The Sixteen, conducted by founder Harry Christophers. The music takes us on a journey of over a thousand years, from haunting plainchant through to the celebrated music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Highlights include Palestrina's motet Assumpta Est Maria, and Allegri's Miserere. Plus Bonus Features include: · Sacred Music Series One Preview · Exclusive Interview with Harry Christophers · Song Selection with Introductions from Harry Christophers (Audio Option) · Related Recordings by The Sixteen · Artist Biographies and Images · Downloadable Screensavers Region: NTSC Region 0 Plays in all territories “Allegri's Miserere puts in an appearance, Elin Manahan Thomas surfing the high Cs with effortless sublimity, but the last word (a glorious one at that) falls to a Marian motet by Palestrina” BBC Music Magazine, June 2010 *** | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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| |  | Sacred Music Series 1with Simon Russell Beale
Series One of the BBC’s groundbreaking classical music programme follows renowned actor and former chorister Simon Russell Beale as he explores the flowering of Western sacred music. This four-part documentary series contains a rich mix of personal, political and musical stories and features some of the greatest music ever written, all performed by Harry Christophers and his award-winning choir, The Sixteen. Episode 1: The Gothic Revolution Episode 2: Palestrina & the Popes Episode 3: Tallis, Byrd & the Tudors Episode 4: Bach & the Lutheran Legacy Plus Bonus Features include: An Easter Concert Preview An Easter Concert Bonus Tracks – Tallis: Salvator Mundi, Salva Nos & Byrd: Agnus Dei from Mass for Four Voices Bonus Audio Tracks – Allegri: Miserere & J. S. Bach: Cantata No.147 Harry Christophers’ Favourite Recordings The Sixteen’s Favourite Recordings “the actor's enthusiasm for the project is tempered by a knowledge which enables him to gently 'translate' when a technicality threatens to pass over lay heads, and a palpable excitement and humility...The interplay of music, image and appealingly-elaborated context creates a rich polyphony of its own” BBC Music Magazine, April 2010 **** “Russell Beale is no mere front-man but a very well informed enthusiast...beautifully shot, and entertaining in the best sense” Gramophone Magazine, May 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
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