The Sixteen

After thirty years of world-wide performance and recording, The Sixteen, "The Voices of Classic FM", are recognised as one of the world’s greatest ensembles. Comprising both choir and period instrument orchestra, The Sixteen's total commitment to the music it performs is its greatest distinction. Its special reputation for performing early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance, bringing fresh insights into Baroque and early Classical music and a diversity of twentieth century music, is drawn from the passions of conductor and founder, Harry Christophers.

The Sixteen has recently featured in the highly successful BBC Four television series, Sacred Music, presented by actor Simon Russell Beale.

The Sixteen’s album IKON was nominated for a 2007 Grammy.

A New Heaven narrows the gap between our secular age and a time when the Anglican Church was among the most important patrons and consumers of British music. It also offers listeners the chance to reconnect with spiritual matters richly expressed by composers with the flair and imagination required to distil big issues of life and death into miniature forms.

2009 is a year of anniversaries - the three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Henry Purcell’s birth (1659), James MacMillan’s fiftieth birthday (16 July 2009) and The Sixteen’s thirtieth anniversary. To celebrate, the ensemble has recorded live a brand new disc of music dedicated to these most innovative of British composers.

Purcell’s extraordinary use of harmony sounds as modern today as it must have sounded in the seventeenth century. Putting his heartfelt Funeral Sentences alongside James MacMillan’s powerfully emotive A Child’s Prayer, written in memory of the Dunblane Tragedy, and his hauntingly beautiful O bone Jesu (a piece originally commissioned by The Sixteen) will give the listener the chance to experience the true power of this music.

This brand new recording by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen is dedicated to the works of Spanish Renaissance composer Francisco Guerrero and includes his exquisite Missa de la Batalla Escoutez. The Mass is a parody on Janeuqin's famous chanson 'La Guerre' which also features on this disc. Janequin’s La Guerre, was so popular in the 16th century that it led to numerous composers, including Janequin himself, writing parody mass settings on it. Missa de la Batalla Escoutez is one of the finest of those settings.

Guerrero is a quite astounding and varied composer with a wide expressive range. Heralded in the Renaissance as ‘the most extraordinary of his time in the art of music’, he was more famous than Victoria and Morales. Despite being a master of expression and sublime melodic invention - skills exemplified by his Missa de la Batalla Escoutez and the other fine works on this disc - Guerrero’s work has often been overlooked in favour of that of his contemporaries. With this brand new recording The Sixteen aims to redress the balance.

Exquisite music from a turning point in history.

A multi award-winning disc, this remains the only recording of this unique and exuberant baroque piece.

Instantly recognisable, no anniversary collection would be complete without Allegri’s haunting masterpiece.

Sarah Connolly, one of the finest Handelians of our time, sings Handel arias from Alcina, Solomon, Ariodante and Hercules.

Wonderful music by Spanish and English composers including Tallis’s great mass Puer natus.

Vivaldi’s best known sacred work fittingly complements Bach’s joyful Magnificat.

From the rich and sonorous sound world of the Gabrielis to the airy zestfulness of Caldara, this was music which dazzled Europe.