Night Concert | Medieval Chants & Tallis’s Lamentations

Founded in 2001 by Nigel Short, the Tenebrae Choir ranks among the world’s very best vocal ensembles. It is celebrated for its exceptional precision and deeply moving interpretations. This program centers on Thomas Tallis’s monumental Lamentations I & II.
These musical settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah are among the most moving works in the history of music. With their dense, dark harmonies, they capture the deep sorrow and hopelessness of Jerusalem’s destruction—music whose timeless beauty shines far beyond its original liturgical context. They are complemented by Tallis’s hopeful motets, such as the heartfelt “If ye love me,” which captivates with its clear enunciation and simple elegance.
The two settings of “In manus tuas” (“Into Your Hands”) by John Sheppard form the spiritual cornerstones of the evening. These settings for evening prayer symbolize letting go and placing one’s trust in God during the hour of darkness. The program concludes with William Blithemans’ “In pace in idipsum” (“In Peace I Fall Asleep”), a work of perfect tranquility that sends the audience off into the peace of the night. The two settings of “In manus tuas” (“Into Your Hands”) by John Sheppard form the spiritual cornerstones of the evening. These settings for evening prayer symbolize letting go and placing one’s trust in God during the hour of darkness. The program concludes with William Blithemans’ “In pace in idipsum” (“In Peace I Fall Asleep”), a work of perfect tranquility that sends the audience off into the peace of the night.