David Allinson’s workshop on 21 March in Didsbury Baptist Church was a great success. A total of 68 marvellous singers attended for a day of Tomás Luis de Victoria’s finest music – sublime, intense and uplifting in equal measures. And there was something very special to hear it sung so well by such a large group.
Thanks to everyone who came along and made the day so enjoyable. A full review of the workshop will follow shortly, but in the meantime, here is some feedback about the day, along with some photos and videos to remember just how enjoyable it was.
“Thank you for a wonderful day of singing on Saturday. I really enjoyed David’s approach to the music and I will certainly keep a lookout for similar workshops in the future. The venue was excellent too-a beautiful room with good facilities and lots of shops and cafes nearby. Thank you for all the hard work you put in to make it happen.” Ann H
“I have attended many Early Music singing workshops over a period of nearly 40 years, mostly enjoyable with just a few duds, and I hold a level of expectation that cushions me against disappointment. Last Saturday was a unique experience of exceptionally high quality. I will go further and say that it was the best choral session I have ever been part of. That includes involvement with various large choirs and smaller Early Music groups over the years.
I am particularly fond of the music of Tomas Luis de Victoria, but had some concerns when becoming aware of the large number of singers taking part. However, it worked astonishingly well. The tuning was brilliant and the sound highly focussed. Singers offered phrasing, sensitivity and finesse even before being coached further by the Tutor, David Allinson. The result was at times a highly emotional performance of this sublime music.
The organisation of the day was excellent and I can see how this might have been a major factor in producing the tremendous outcome. Providing music beforehand for printing or downloading onto a tablet, together with listening links, was a great move and I note that advance preparation was encouraged. Thanks again for a memorable day.” David Y
“I am a very new happy member of NWEMF and have enormously enjoyed the two workshops I have had the privilege of attending. It is so lovely, heart-warming and reassuring to see how the workshops appealed to a range of musicians of different ages, experience and walks of life. It is clear that a lot of thought has gone into that aspect of the forum.
Your church in Didsbury was a very welcoming venue and seemed to me well suited for David’s warm style of workshop. In the past twelve months or so, I have been lucky enough to attend a few of his workshops and Early Music singing sessions, which have been extremely rewarding in many ways. This one was no exception, and even seemed better, more absorbing and informative, which would be hard to beat… I feel this was in some measure down to the welcome David received from you… The whole event had a feeling of having arrived in a safe sanctuary where we were free to express this gorgeous seasonally appropriate music of Victoria with the best expertise.
I was also hugely impressed with the whole Didsbury and Mancunian wider public- they went out of their way to be helpful and kind to me. I had to keep pinching myself throughout the whole time! How lucky and privileged am I!! Thanks again for organising such a wonderful day on Saturday.” Colleen B
“What a brilliant workshop. I loved the music and David Allinson was fantastic. The organisation was excellent as was the venue. Thanks to all who took part in the organisation and helped on the day.” Zenia B
“It was a great day. And David managed to produce a wonderful sound from the singers. Thank you… for all the work put in to give the rest of us such an enjoyable and successful day. We all left very happy”. Anne S
More information about the day
In 1585 while working in Rome, Victoria published his Officium Hebdomadae Sanctae, a large collection of Tenebrae Responsories, Lamentations and Passions for the Holy Week liturgy. The intensity and purity of his writing makes this one of the high watermarks of sacred polyphony. We will sing a representative selection of his responsories, along with his setting of the Lamentations for Holy Saturday. This is music full of poignancy and drama.
To counterbalance the Lenten mood we will also look ahead to Easter, singing two motets which burst with joy at news of the resurrection: Ascendens Christus and Surrexit pastor bonus, both from Victoria’s audaciously good first book of motets, published in 1572.
Click here to access full music list
The numbers on the right hand side indicate the number of pages for each piece should you choose to print off your own music. A PDF booklet of the music will be circulated in advance of the workshop.
Tomas Luis de Victoria, Tenebrae Responsories (selection)
| Amicus meus a4 SATB https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/TR01-Amicus_Meus.pdf | 2 |
| Unus ex discipulis a4 SATB https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/TR03-Unus_Ex_Discipulis.pdf | 1 |
| Una hora a4 SATB https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/TR05-Una_Hora.pdf | 2 |
| Tamquam ad latronem a4 SATB https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/TR07-Tamquam_Ad_Latronem.pdf | 2 |
| Caligaverunt oculi mei a4 SATB https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/TR12-Caligaverunt_Oculi_Mei.pdf | 2 |
| O vos omnes a4 SATB https://cpdl.org/wiki/images/0/09/O_vos_omnes_Tenebrae_Victoria.pdf | 2 |
Victoria, Lamentations for Holy Saturday a6 SSATTB
| Lectio prima (‘Heth. Misericordiæ’) S(S)AT(T)B https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/LJ7-Heth_Misericordiae_Domini.pdf | 4 |
| Lectio secunda (‘Aleph. Quomodo’) pp.1-3: S1+A1/S2+A2/T/B; pp.4: SATTB https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/LJ8-Aleph_Quomodo_Obscuratum.pdf | 4 |
| Lectio tertia (‘Incipit … Recordare’) SSATTB https://victoria.uma.es/pdf/LJ9-Incipit_Oratio_Jeremiae.pdf | 9 |
Victoria, Ascendens Christus in altum a5 SSATB
Victoria, Surrexit pastor bonus a6 SSATTB
[Total: 41 pages]
DJA, last updated 19.xi.25
Click here to access a downloadable PDF file of the list.
Click here to access the Spotify playlist
To help us have the best possible day of singing, please do private score preparation beforehand. This Spotify Playlist is supplied to inspire you. Remember that pitch, tempo, ficta, underlay, etc., may differ from ours. Other recordings are available.
The Tutor
Dr David Allinson is a freelance conductor, singer and academic who has led hundreds of workshops and masterclasses in the UK and on the continent. His special love is Renaissance polyphony, and as well as holding university posts in music history and performance at Oxford, Bristol and Canterbury, he has tutored for every UK Early Music Forum, for organisations such as RunbySingers and Beauchamp Summer School and for numerous private workshops. He is known for his combination of scholarship, technical know-how and humorous positivity. David has been the musical director of the Renaissance Singers (London) since 2010 and has conducted numerous other choirs
