My previous post was about a performance by Voces8 and Ringmasters and they once again feature here.
I remember some 50 or so years ago having a real love of the music of the King’s Singers – the a capella style was something that I really enjoyed listening to and I also was drawn by the wide range of genres that they delved into – managing to make each one sound ‘right’ – which is something that many ensembles sadly fail to do. It is all too common for the style of the performers to get in the way of the style of the music. That was something that could never be levelled at the King’s Singers as they ranged the whole gamut of music of the last few hundred years.
These days, whilst the King’s Singers are still good I think that in the a capella world they have been overtaken by Voces8 in my list of favourite ensembles. Whilst perhaps not quite having the same range of musical styles from what I have heard they do have the ability to change the way they present their music.
This particular one – another collaboration with Ringmasters – is an arrangement of an old gospel song. This song, for me, is associated with a dull, dreary type of rendition – however this arrangement is certainly not that. It illustrates, to me at least, just how important it is to perform music in a way that brings out the best – and the real soul of the music. (It also helps to see the performers being totally immersed in what they are singing)