Stile Antico

Thursday, 27 November 2025 at 5:30 pm

Gloriana

Martin Randall Travel

St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Lavenham, United Kingdom

The immensely powerful Tudor monarchs presided over an unparalleled musical flowering in England – especially under the long-lived Elizabeth I, herself a musician and lover of music, who came to Lavenham on a Royal Progress in 1578. We hear works from Elizabeth’s Protestant Chapel Royal – the finest musical institution in the land – but also music that circulated in clandestine Catholic circles, and we draw on two printed collections dedicated to her: the 1575 Cantiones sacrae and The Triumphs of Oriana. Stile Antico’s programme closes with an exceptionally vibrant piece written especially for them by Huw Watkins – a setting of a metaphysical poem by William Shakespeare.

William Byrd, O Lord make thy servant Elizabeth

‘In Quires and churches’ – music for the Chapel Royal
Robert Parsons, Deliver me from mine enemies
John Taverner, Christe Jesu, pastor bone
William Byrd, Nunc dimittis from the Great Service

‘In a strange land’ – the recusant Catholic community
William Byrd, Quomodo cantabimus
William Byrd, Haec dies
William Byrd, Tristitia et anxietas

Musical monopolies – Cantiones Sacrae
William Byrd, Laudibus in sanctis
Thomas Tallis, Salvator mundi
William Byrd, Emendemus in melius
William Byrd, In resurrectione tua
Thomas Tallis, Miserere nostri
William Byrd, Miserere mihi

‘Fair Oriana’ – madrigals for the Virgin Queen
William Byrd, This sweet and merry merry month of May
John Wilbye, The lady Oriana
John Bennet, All creatures now
Thomas Weelkes, As Vesta was from Latmos hill descending

Huw Watkins, The Phoenix and the Turtle

Share Share Share Share