A deluge of exquisitely performed musical gems

DARKER evenings and the still distant but unstoppable approach of Christmas, and a beacon of light in the return of Leamington Music’s season of concerts at St Mary’s.

The afternoon may have brought some of the heaviest cloudbursts witnessed in a long while, but it wasn’t water which flooded the church but music, and beautiful music at that.

Run in conjunction with the chamber music recitals at the Pump Rooms, these forays principally into the conveniently-bracketed genre of early music have become more and more popular in recent years pulling in big audiences to enjoy some real top drawer ensembles.

The Gesualdo Six have visited St Mary’s before and their evident understanding of the church’s rich and rewarding acoustic paid dividends once more.

The programme this time encompassed motets and chansons from the French court focussing mainly on the reigns of various European queens. Under the umbrella title Queen of Hearts the beautiful polyphony of the time is interspersed by a modern commission by Nina Cruttwell-Reade and setting by ensemble director Owain Park.

Works by Nicholas Gombert, Josquin des Prez, Jean l’Heritier and Constranzo Festa among others, were delivered with this ensemble’s customary attention to detail and immaculate presentation. Intelligent use of the church’s different spaces meant the musical texture was constantly changing and surprising.

Given the programme’s unashamedly mournful complexion, any variance didn’t come through tempo and tone but through the marvellously contrasted harmonic make-up of the two modern works.

What passes for dissonance is, when tackled with the gentle precision and luscious tone here, nowhere near as sonically jarring as it could be and in many ways the two contemporary inclusions not only held their own but shone light on the pieces around them.

Programming really is a skill and, in contrast to some of the chronically naff thematic offering served up at the Proms and elsewhere, this was perfectly prepared and beautifully performed. The Gesualdo Six have made quite a home of St Mary’s and, flood water permitting, they will bring their fine music again.

Visit leamingtonmusic.org for details of the coming season of concerts in the area.

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