The Splendours of the Tudor Era: Byrd & Tallis

The intense religious drama of sixteenth century England history is vividly brought to life through the searing beauty of its music. The two musical giants of the era are Thomas Tallis and his pupil, William Byrd; both Catholics in an increasingly Protestant land, and both celebrated in their own lifetime.

This special concert pairs Tallis’ set of Lamentations of Jeremiah with Byrd’s Mass for 5 voices, two great works considered crowning jewels of English counter-reformation music; emotional, intimate, intricate, rich and infused with the clandestine piety of the period. Together with some of their favourite motets, including Tallis’ If ye love me, O nata lux and Byrd’s Ave verum corpus, this promises to be a wonderful afternoon concert of Renaissance choral music by Edmonton’s early-music specialist choir, the Schola Cantorum of St Joseph’s Basilica, directed by Roderick Bryce.

Join us for this intensely beautiful music in the Basilica’s famed acoustics, reminiscent of the Gothic English cathedrals for which this music was written.