BREMF – Reformation Remainers – BREMF Consort of Voices, Deborah Roberts (director)

It’s wonderful how many people braved torrential November rain to listen to Taverner, Tallis and Byrd, and not their familiar works but a selection of the most spectacular and complex in the repertoire. In contrast were three of Tallis’ ‘reformed’ settings of Psalms for Archbishop Parker, a totally different beauty.

The programme continued with Tallis’ sublime ‘Lamentations’ and a selection of Byrd’s intricately coded hymnal encouragements for recusant Catholic communities.

BREMF CoV is one of the few amateur choirs with the skill, musicality and stamina for such a programme and they carefully brought their silent, attentive audience along with them.

St Bartholomew’s Church, 10 November 2018
Rating:
Andrew Connal