Octave Vocal Ensemble
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Eight voices as one |
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Octave Vocal Ensemble
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Eight voices as one |
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Our concerts contain a wide variety of short pieces, both sacred and secular: classical "serious" music, leavened with glees, madrigals, folk and popular songs. There will be some songs that are known at least to some of the listeners, but the programmes include also some less familiar or even brand new material. Each piece is briefly introduced, so that the audience may derive greater pleasure from knowing something of its background. Have a look at some recent programmes.
Several of the eight voices have established themselves as soloists in their own right, but although sometimes soloists do not make the best ensemble singers, in the case of Octave the blend is impeccable. The group consists of two sopranos, contralto and counter-tenor, tenor, two baritones and a bass, each with the technical skill to cope with the more difficult lines of music; this configuration enables us to present not only regular SATB works, but the richer textures of double-choir and five- to eight-part compositions.
Our programmes are suitable for churches and public halls, walled gardens, woodland glades, ruined abbeys.... We avoid electronic amplification if at all possible. Octave also makes an excellent choir for weddings, memorials, etc.
| Birgitta Kenyon, Soprano | Tracey Quinton, Soprano
| Linda Gower, Contralto | Norman Kenyon, Counter-tenor
| William Clement-Smith, Tenor | Paul Dawson, Baritone
| David Hudson, Bass | Robert Bingham, Bass
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 | Octave's contribution was delightful. Like their dynamic range, their scope is wide, characterised by accuracy and attention to detail, whether singing close harmony, Vaughan Williams or Britten. |
| The eight voices blended perfectly ... in music by Purcell, Poulenc, Britten, Villette and Rutter. |
| Although each of these eight voices possesses contrasting tonal qualities, the ensemble is excellent. They listen to each other; the phrasing and dynamics are meticulous. Of the early pieces, Sermisy's jolly Tant que vivray was delightful, and the word painting in Monterverdi's Zefiro torna particularly expressive. |
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Please note that for acceptable sound quality you should use
Windows Media Player or another full-spec. MP3 player
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We have a very wide repertoire of songs throughout the ages, from the Middle Ages to 2006.
| Here is just a small selection.... or why not | browse some sample programmes |
| Sacred | ||
| Stanford | Beati, quorum via | Blessed are they whose way... |
| Lassus | Veni Sancte Spiritus | Come, Holy Ghost |
| Bullard | Four Sacred Songs | |
| Schubert | Gott ist mein Hirt | The Lord is my Shepherd |
| Poulenc | Salve Regina, Mater Misericordiae | Hail, O Queen, Mother of Mercy |
| Grieg | Ave maris stella | Hail, star of the sea |
| Purcell | I was glad when they said unto me | |
| Lauridsen | O Nata Lux | |
| Secular | ||
| Serious: | ||
| Vaughan Williams | Three Shakespeare Songs | The Bard |
| Mäntyjärvi | Lullaby | |
| Britten | Hymn to St Cecilia | W H Auden |
| Norman Kenyon | Three Beasts of God | G K Chesterton and William Blake |
| Saint-Saëns | Les Fleurs et les Arbres | The flowers and the trees... |
| Madrigals, glees and folk songs: | ||
| Tomkins | O yes! Has any found a lad? | |
| Wilbye | Draw on, sweet night | |
| Pearsall | Lay a garland | |
| Golden Slumbers | ||
| The British Grenadiers | ||
| Comic: | ||
| anon. | The Jolly Foster | |
| Thomas Phillips | Crows in a cornfield | |
| Cole Porter | The Physician | |
| Mäntyjärvi | El Hambo | |
| Light, modern: | ||
| Hart/Rogers | Blue Moon | |
| Magidson/Conrad | The Continental | |
| Berkeley Square | ||
| Night and Day |
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Paul Dawson, 86 Manor Road Martlesham Heath IPSWICH IP5 7SY Telephone: 01473-611115 E-mail: Paul Dawson | Norman Kenyon, The Willows, New Road ELMSWELL Suffolk IP30 9BT Telephone: 01359-241569 E-mail: Norman Kenyon |