Do you love Early Music? Would you like to wind down after work with some polyphony? Join us for our small, inspirational Early Nights workshops with specialist, Scott Inglis-Kidger, in the beguiling setting of St Barnabas, Pimlico.

PLOTS & POLYPHONY

JANUARY - MARCH 2020

PLOTS & POLYPHONY

An exploration of William Byrd's Gradualia Books I & II

King James I

William Byrd (c. 1540-1623) lived at a very turbulent time in British history. Having been brought up a Protestant, and indeed having held his first professional post at Lincoln Cathedral between 1563 and 1572, Byrd developed more Catholic leanings in the 1570s. His prestigious post as a Gentleman and Organist of the Chapel Royal afforded him more freedom to expand his compositional output, and to try and make friends in the Court – staying in the monarch’s good books was extremely important if one was not of the “correct” denomination.

Queen Elizabeth I herself was a more moderate espouser of Protestantism, who did not subscribe to extreme Puritanism – she was also a musicophile and a keyboardist. 

​Byrd’s Gradualia, two sets of motets numbering 109 in total, were published in 1605 and 1607 by Thomas East. 1605 was a year that may be familiar to some as it was the year of the Gunpowder Plot! Byrd eventually got into hot water because he was seen to be fraternising with prominent Catholics, including Lord Thomas Paget and Father Henry Garnett (the former was suspected of involvement in the Throckmorton Plot, and the latter was eventually executed for collusion in Guy Fawkes’ plot). The famous events of November that year led to the possession of a copy of this music being a potentially treasonous offence – perhaps because of this, there are very few surviving first editions of Book I.

​VENUE: St Barnabas Church, St Barnabas Street, London SW1W 8PF
​TIMING: 19:30-21:30 (doors at 19:15)
COST: £20 per evening (includes music and hot drinks).

BOOKING PROCESS

Due to the popularity of Early Nights, booking is by ballot. Please apply before the end of Wednesday 1st January 2020. Workshops will be allocated shortly after the closing date to ensure a good balance of voices. You will be reimbursed for any workshops you are not allocated.

Booking has now closed but please do contact Miranda Ostler on email: workshops@platinumconsort.com to join the waiting list. 

CONTACT US

DATES & REPERTOIRE

MONDAY 13TH JANUARY 19:30-21:30
Puer natus est
Venite Comedite

MONDAY 20TH JANUARY 19:30-21:30
Alleluia. Cognoverunt discipuli
​Oculi omnium

MONDAY 3RD FEBRUARY 19:30-21:30
Timete Dominum
​Confirma hoc, Deus

MONDAY 10TH FEBRUARY19:30-21:30​
Nunc Dimittis
​Alleluia. Senex puerum

MONDAY 2ND MARCH 19:30-21:30
Beati mundo corde
Non vos relinquam orphanos

MONDAY 9TH MARCH 19:30-21:30
Alleluia. Ascendit Deus – Dominus in Sina
Justorum anime

MONDAY 23RD MARCH 19:30-21:30
Unam petii
Terra tremuit

MONDAY 30TH MARCH 19:30-21:30
Ave regina coelorum
Cibavit eos