Renaissance Masses
VOICES
Tutor: David Allinson
Location: United Reformed Church, Sale, Manchester
Reviewers: David Allen and Mark Flinn
MISSA AD IMITATIONEM with DAVID ALLINSON
“What a treat. This for me and I suspect for others was one of the best workshops we have held in the North West for some time. Because of David’s now very considerable commitments at Bristol University we had to hold the event very early in the Autumn season so numbers were rather less than hoped for. In the event this was a good thing as a smaller balanced group was able to respond to David’s inspirational leading. Our subject for study was the renaissance parody mass setting and for this David had drawn on some quite magnificent example taking us from Josquin the father of renaissance polyphony through to Palestrina by way of Lassus and Morales.
I wish we had been able to record just a fraction of what David had to tell us, all delivered with wit and clarity. There was guidance on how to sing, tempered with comments about the hegemony of the English college and cathedral sound in renaissance polyphony – no evidence that this is the way it sounded!!! Through to bits of history, musical and social moulded by comments on the need to recreate the music for ourselves and our time. He stressed the importance of getting the basics right, however “authentic” or “expressive” the singing may be, it is horrible to listen to if it is not in tune and in time!
There have been days when I have come away from a workshop wondering whether it has been worth the effort. This time I drove home feeling like a cat with the cream”.
David wrote this excellent piece immediately after the workshop, and I cannot add much to it. Just to note, for the record, that we read through the Josquin setting of Mille Regrets, followed by the Kyrie and Gloria of the eponymous mass by Morales. Then Mon Coeur se Recommende a Vous, setting and Kyrie from the Lassus mass. The Sanctus from the Taverner Mean Mass was contrasted with the setting 50 years later by Byrd in his 4 part Mass. We had a fine helping of Palestrina motets and movements from the parody masses Sicut Lilium Inter Spinas and O Rex Gloriae. All in all an inspiring day, enhanced for many participants by al fresco sandwiches in the late summer sunshine.
David Allen and Mark Flinn
First published in September 2012 Newsletter
