Saturday, 13 May 2006, 8pm
Xavier College Chapel, Barkers Road, Kew
Subscription Concert 3
“In the midst of life we are in death …” Thus the Book of Common Prayer translates the opening words of the anonymous eleventh-century antiphon Media vita, which has continued to hold a place in the Dominican breviary
alone. Its beautiful plainsong melody, which opens our program, inspired polyphonic settings from many composers, among them Gombert, Lassus, Sheppard and Philips, whose motets complete part one of our concert. Part two is devoted to one of Gombert’s finest Masses, Missa de Media vita, based on his motet derived from the plainsong.
PROGRAM
Plainchant Media vita
Nicolas Gombert Media vita (à 6)
Orlande de Lassus Media vita (à 6)
John Sheppard Media vita (à 6)
Peter Philips Media vita (à 5)
Nicolas Gombert Missa de Media vita (à 5)
| SOPRANO | ALTO | TENOR | BASS |
| Deborah Summerbell | Jennifer Mathers | Peter Campbell | Alexander Roose |
| Fiona Seers | Belinda Wong | Tim Van Nooten | Philip Nicholls |
| Maria Pisani | Niki Ebacioni | Vaughan McAlley | Tom Reid |
| Claerwen Jones | Rebecca Woods | Stuart Tennant | Tim Daly |
| Kathryn Pisani | |||