The Voice of the Turtledove – A workshop for singers on settings of The Song of Songs
All Saints Church, Pembroke Rd, Clifton Bristol. BS8 3ED
10am - 4.30pm
Organiser: Chris Lovell
Sacred or secular? Erotic or spiritual? This tantalising collection of poems does not hide away in the Apocrypha but takes its place among the canonical books of the Old Testament. Confronted by a work of unambiguous sensuality, Judaism preferred to treat the poetry as an allegory of the tempestuous love-story between God and his people. Medieval Christianity used verses from The Song of Songs, suitably doctored, as hymns of adoration to the Virgin Mary or as spiritual love-songs between Christ and his bride, the Church. Composers across Catholic Europe loved it. By the end of the 16th Century, they were keen to explore the more expressive musical styles of the madrigal and early opera, yet in church they were confined to using sacred texts. The Song of Songs allowed them to do both.
In this workshop we will sing settings by Palestrina, of course, but other composers too from all over Europe. The workshop may not be erotic, but musically it will certainly be fascinating and fun.
The music will include:
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Dufay: Anima me liquefacta est
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Manchicourt: Dilectus meus
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Palestrina: Osculetur me
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Alonso Lobo: Ego flos campi
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Caterina Assandra: Ego flos campi
Bruce Saunders was a choral scholar at Cambridge where he trained with John Carol Case. He sang with Bristol Intimate Opera in the 1970s and in the University production of Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’. He was a founder member of ‘Westron Wind’ who, under David Stancliffe, put on some of the first ‘original instrument’ performances of Schütz, Monteverdi and Bach in this country. An experienced recitalist, he has also sung on the operatic stage. As an oratorio soloist, he has appeared with many choirs and choral societies in London and elsewhere in repertoire ancient and modern. For many years, he has enjoyed performing the works of J.S.Bach with orchestras using period instruments and has continued his interest in exploring the less familiar medieval and Renaissance choral repertoire. In London he founded and directed New Renaissance Voices from 1986 to 2014. Returning to Bristol in 2014, he founded and directs Nova, an early music vocal ensemble specialising in pre-1600 European polyphony, and is one of the founding trustees of the Bristol Early Music Festival.
On street parking is free on Saturdays, and usually available, though a short walk may be needed. Bus 8 from outside Temple Meads station stops outside the church. The current Saturday timetable gives buses at 9.30 and 10 o’clock, and they take eighteen minutes. There are several buses from the vicinity of the bus station, though not from within it.
The church is very accessible, a mix of old and (mainly) new, all on one level with good facilities.
There are shops at Clifton Down and in Clifton Village, but both are quite a walk, so we recommend bringing your own lunch with you.
Tea and coffee will be provided.
The fee for the workshop is £20 for EMF members and £25 for non-members, or £5 for 18-25’s.
Organiser: Chris Lovell: chrislovell805@gmail.com
01453 811723 / 07752 921118
Please apply in good time for this workshop. Bruce has most sensibly left final decisions on the exact repertoire to be studied until he has an idea of the numbers we have in each part.
Further Details and Application Forms:
Workshop information (to print out and keep).
Paper booking form (to print out and post).
Online application form (preferred):
Please note:
- The online form below does not currently support the special 18-25's price. This limitation should be resolved soon. If you fall into this category, please explain in the "Other information" box and send the appropriate amount.
- This is a generic form; please ignore references to instruments as this is a purely vocal workshop!