Discovering Music - Split Choir Tradition

Robert Hollingworth presents a programme looking at the split choir tradition in Renaissance music, and specifically in repertoire from north Italy which was the birthplace of the polychoral style of writing. Robert demonstrates how the element of musical dialogue between groups developed from the age-old tradition of psalm singing, illustrated in the music of Willaert's Salmi Spezzati, through to more elaborate polychoral repertoire by composers such as Striggio, Marenzio and Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli. The programme also includes extracts performed by members of the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, and a complete performance of Giovanni Gabrieli's 'In Ecclesiis' from the recording made by the Taverner Consort and Players.