24/06/2023
Fair Oriana are a soprano duo known for the purity and blend of their voices. They specialise in singing an historical repertoire, in collaboration with regular teams of instrumentalists, performing chamber concerts with a hint of theatre. Couperin’s Leçons de Ténèbres are composed of three pieces to be performed for the liturgies of Holy Week. Each Latin verse, from the Book of Lamentations of Jeremiah, is preceded by a melisma on the first letter of the Hebrew text. The first two were composed for one single voice, while the third was written for two voices. This last Leçon, where the two voices perform superb appoggiatura, ornaments, dissonances and vocalising, is considered one of the undisputed peaks of Baroque vocal music. The songs by Purcell and Handel are well known and present a lighter, more secular side to the evening’s programme.
Programme:
- Couperin – Leçons de ténèbres
- Purcell – Morning Hymn, Evening Hymn, The Entrance of Night
- Handel – Eternal Source of Light Divine, Hide me from day’s garish eye, As Steals the Morn O Sleep, why dost thou leave me
- Angela Hicks and Penelope Appleyard, sopranos; Harry Buckoke, viola da gamba; Jonatan Bougt, theorbo; David Wright, harpsichord
Tickets:
£20 General Admission, £15 Clare Hall members, £5 students and children – please purchase via Eventbrite here.