"Silent night"
Christmas is here again and its a wonderful time for Ex Cathedra.
"The heaven of your desires" is a programme that is inspired by the poem "New heaven, new war"
by the 17th-century Jesuit priest Robert Southwell.
The great Magnificat "O Antiphons" which are used in the days running up to Christmas
are performed as plainchant, in settings by Charpentier,
and in a new form written specially for Ex
Cathedra.
There are two Magnificat settings.
One by Orlando Gibbons, one of our greatest early 17th-century English composers,
and a setting by Alec Roth.
Roth's Magnificat is a very gentle, aloof work which uses the rhythms of the tango,
inspired by our Latin American research - we also include some of that repertoire in this programme.
There is a very special atmosphere which is created by a seamless stream of music and poetry
that addresses the major issues of
Christmas.
Putting the programme together gives me a lot of pleasure.
Trying make one piece flow into another when often they seem unrelated pieces, but somehow they fit.
It is a very exciting mix of old and new,
which is what Ex Cathedra has been doing for almost 50 years now.
I hope you'll join us for this concert in York.
