A Boy is Born
Thursday, December 1, 2016 at 8:00 pm
(lecture at 7 pm)
Choir of St. Luke in the Fields
On Christmas Day 1554 the Spanish Armada was a long way off on the horizon. Mary Tudor had married Prince Philip of Spain, and in celebration of Mary’s supposed pregnancy Tallis had composed the Missa Puer natus est, which may well have been performed in St Paul’s Cathedral on this special day. For this splendid ceremony the English Chapel Royal and choir of St Paul’s were joined by Prince Philip of Spain’s Capilla Flamenca to sing music by great composers from both countries. In addition to the Tallis mass, this concert will present works by Sheppard, Guerrero and Manchicourt, which were likely to have been performed by these choirs on Christmas Day.
