The Best of Baroque Voices

Baroque Voices, founded in June 1994 by Wellington-based soprano Pepe Becker, is a vocal consort which specialises in pre-classical music written for ensembles with one voice to a part.

Its size varies according to the particular demands of the repertoire for each concert or project. The group has a core of singers with considerable experience in both choral and solo performance, especially in the field of early music.

Several of its members have studied, are currently studying, or are about to study, in Europe – the director, Pepe Becker, studied singing with Jessica Cash in London and then Baroque Singing with Marius van Altena at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, 1991-93.

These singers are all committed to using appropriate vocal techniques, ornaments and styles, based on what is known about the performance practices, resources and musical ideals of the era in which music was written. These principles are applied equally to the performance of contemporary music, for which the group also has a growing reputation.

Included in tonight’s concert are works by Hildegard of Bingen, Monteverdi, Jack Body, Wilbye, Handel, Bach, Charpentier, Purcell and Pepe Becker (Source: SOUNZ).

Nicola Edgecombe (sop), Phillip Collins (ten), Robert Oliver (viol), Douglas Mews (hpschd/org/pno), Daniel Becker (electric bass), Baroque Voices/Pepe Becker (sop/dir)

HILDEGARD OF BINGEN: O Euchari; MONTEVERDI: Ch'ami la vita mia; ANON: Nowell, sing we; BODY: Nowell, in the Lithuanian manner; ECCARD: Christ ist erstanden; WILBYE: Draw on, sweet night; MACHAUT: Je ne suis mie certeins; HANDEL: Quel fior che all' alba ride; BACH: Komm, Jesu, komm; TRAD arr Becker: Three Irish Songs, Blacksmith; Female rambling sailor; Galbally farmer; TRAD: Noel, Joseph est bien marié; M-A CHARPENTIER: Kyrie, from Messe pour le Port Royale; LOCKE: I know that my redeemer liveth; ANON: A solis ortus; SMYTHE: A solis ortus; BECKER: Kyrie, from Mass of the False Relation; PURCELL: Lost is my quiet; TRAD: Veni, creator spiritus; BODY: Jibrail; DUFAY: Ave maris stella; HARRIS: Ave maris stella; TRAD Catalonian: Ad mortem; SHORTIS: Five Jisei; BECKER: Remembering now, from Brother Sun, Sister Moon; MONTEVERDI: Tornate; Si, ch'io vorrei morire; SMYTHE: Mortalitatis; BACH: Das ist meine Freude

This concert was recorded live in Sacred Heart Cathedral Wellington by Radio New Zealand