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The Sixteen |
Classical highlights for the festive season
FOR those wanting to escape from endless repeats on television this Christmas, there is a satisfying mixture of concerts around central London.
Perhaps the highlight is tomorrow (Friday) evening at 7.30pm when The Sixteen, the early music choral group founded by Harry Christopher performs at St John’s Smith Square.
Their reputation precedes them, having performed around the world and made some excellent recordings over the last 27 years and where they were joined by musicians playing mediaeval and renaissance instruments.
Together they will perform well-known carols such as O Come, O Come Emmanuel, The First Nowell, Come All Ye Faithful and Good King Wenceslas. Then there are more traditional numbers such as the 14th-century German carol Quem pastores laudavere – which later had a beautiful arrangement made by Ralph Vaughan-Williams, the Coventry Carol and Salutation Carol and the mediaeval carol Angelus ad virginem. Ring 020 7222 1061 for more details.
Elsewhere the Belmont Ensemble take up residency at St Martin-in-the-Fields, performing Handel’s Messiah on tomorrow (Friday) and a baroque concert, with works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and Corelli on Boxing Day.
Also at St Martin’s TT Johnson’s Bourbon Kick will be providing something a little different from the norm in the Crypt, the church’s excellent restaurant, on Wednesday providing traditional Dixieland while people dine. This cannot fail but entertain.
Concerts resume after the Christmas break at Wigmore Hall on Thursday when pianist Konstantin Lifschitz performs the first of two concerts, playing Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. |
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