Is there a more beautiful sound?

The four choirs performed Monteverdi’s Vespers for the Blessed Virgin Mary and were accompanied by the period orchestra, Florilegium. 

The choirs consisted of a massed choir at the Spire Crossing made up of singers from Salisbury Cathedral Choir, Salisbury Musical Society and the St John Singers, conducted by Director of Music David Halls, with other smaller choirs like the Farrant Singers conducted by Phillip Lawson, and Salisbury Cathedral girls choir conducted by Steve Abbott, performing  in the North Nave Aisle and at the Cathedral’s West End.

As well as being treated to music from the huge choir, the audiences also heard from eight talented soloists. The opening solo was sung from high up on the West Window Balcony, with others from the Trinity Chapel at the Cathedral’s East End, by the Font, in the Spire Crossing and in the North Nave Aisle. 

David Halls, Director of Music at Salisbury Cathedral, said:

“I have wanted to perform the Monteverdi Vespers for a long time because I knew that the generous cathedral acoustic would lend itself to having various performance areas. This involved a fair amount of movement of singers and players during the music. On the night, the choreography went smoothly and the singers and instrumentalists worked well together – it was a most rewarding and memorable concert.”

Picture: Tom Gregory