Consort concert
Brighton Consort returns to Hurstpierpoint for a concert in Holy Trinity Church on Saturday, February 5.
Mike Clemens, Brighton Consort chairman, said: “In recent years the Brightonbased early music choir Brighton Consort has performed quite a few concerts in Hurstpierpoint, and they will be returning to the village in early February. “Having had their schedule completely disrupted by the pandemic, the choir’s last full concert was in March 2020, just before the first lockdown started.
“Like many musical ensembles, both professional and amateur, their activities then became confined to weekly Zoom sessions which do not provide a suitable medium for collective music-making! “With the easing of restrictions these sessions were followed by socially distanced live rehearsals, but with all singers remaining masked. This again proved unsatisfactory so it was a great relief all round when the masks were allowed to come off – but only when singing!”
In spring 2020 Brighton Consort had also just begun the search for a new musical director, a process that had to be put on hold until last August when they were able to appoint Greg Skidmore as their new MD.
Chairman Mike says that securing Greg’s services was a major triumph and made up for many of the frustrations of the previous 18 months: “Greg has an illustrious background and sings with several of the best known UK early music ensembles. With these issues behind it, the choir is now confidently beginning again with a programme devised by Greg entitled Back to Basics (subtitled ‘remembering why we do what we do’). They will perform this concert in Holy Trinity Church on Saturday, February 5. For this event Brighton Consort will be joined by The Ashdown Consort of Viols, five players who perform on treble, tenor and bass instruments.
“The music will include a variety of early choral forms, from the 12th century Hymn to St Magnus and the anonymous Sumer is icumen into beautiful 16th-17th century polyphonic works by Josquin, Lassus, William Byrd, Thomas Tallis, Palestrina, Victoria and Claudio Monteverdi. Some of these pieces are composed for double choir. The viol consort will perform instrumental works by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625) and the players will also accompany the singers in several pieces. This concert will celebrate the roots and variety of truly great choral and instrumental music and is not to be missed!”
The concert starts at 4pm on February 5. Tickets (£12) via the Brighton Consort website (https://www.brightonconsort.org.uk/index.htm or by ringing 01273 833746 or on the door.