Tenebrae factae sunt - MacMillan - Tenebrae conducted by Nigel Short

This performance of Sir James MacMillan's 'Tenebrae factae sunt' (composed in 2006) is taken from a concert at St John's Smith Square in London during April 2023.
Our name 'Tenebrae' is the Latin word for darkness or shadows. It's also the name given to three special church services which are performed during Holy Week. This piece is one of three 'Tenebrae responsories' which MacMillan composed to texts from these atmospheric services, during which candles are extinguished one by one.
With grateful thanks to BBC Four for broadcasting this concert and permitting us to share it with you, to K418 Arts for production, and to St John's Smith Square for hosting us.
Sopranos: Grace Davidson, Rachel Haworth, Victoria Meteyard, Áine Smith, Katie Trethewey, Emma Walshe
Altos: Hannah Cooke, Martha McLorinan, Elisabeth Paul, Anna Semple
Tenors: Jeremy Budd, Jack Granby, Hamish MacGregor, Nicholas Todd
Basses: Joseph Edwards, Jimmy Holliday, Owain Park, Florian Störtz, Giles Underwood
Director: Nigel Short
---
Tenebrae factae sunt, dum crucifixissent lesum
ludaei: et circa horam nonam exclamavit lesus
voce magna: Deus meus, ut quid me dereliquisti?
Et inclinato capite, emisit spiritum.
Verso: Exclamans lesus voce magna ait: Pater, in
manus tuas commendo spiritum meum.
Darkness fell when the Jews crucified Jesus: and
about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud
voice: My God, why hast thou forsaken me?
And bowing down his head, he gave up the ghost.
Verse: Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said:
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.
--
Hear this music on our 'Bach & MacMillan' album: lnk.to/MotetsS...
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[@Ligael_Verne]

Comme d'habitude ça frôle la Perfection. Merci du fond du cœur Tenebrae.

[@evelynap9728]

I love you TENEBRAE since very long, and I am so happy to hear and see you here again. Its been quite some time ! Thank you. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@thetenebraechoir]

Thank you for your lovely comment!

[@evelynap9728]

yvmw@@thetenebraechoir

[@gabrieleluparello3312]

I think the beauty of this piece is more in your interpretation than in the music itself.

[@BernardGreenberg]

Agreed. I'll stick with Victoria's and Gesualdo's settings, thanks. First-rate performance of a very challenging score, though.

[@thayes8334]

What a challenging piece to sing! Very, very well done! Congratulations!

[@thetenebraechoir]

Thank you!

[@blueraj3]

Bravi 🍀💜 Thank you

[@correametal]

Like I've always said since I discovered the Magnificent Tenebrae Choir.....nothing compares to the beauty of watching and listening to them performed! It is pure musical ecstasy!!!

[@thetenebraechoir]

Thank you, we're so glad you love our singing!

[@Dorm_]

Love the performance, makes me think of all the poor souls in Gaza and all the terrible things they are going through right now! Please pray with me!

[@peacheyearth]

Amen

[@stlouisix3]

Wonderful choir

[@hamelin82]

New tenebrae video = hit the like button before view the video

[@thetenebraechoir]

YES!

[@evelynap9728]

who did not

[@MrJdsenior]

This piece is weird, and I really like parts of it. Sounds like fun. I would love to perform it! Not remotely at this level, unfortunately.

[@luiznavas]

Is the Choir named after these pieces somehow? Incredibly beautiful

[@r1p2m32]

Thanks, beautiful. But there was not much music to be performed. Some sweet voice-math.

[@thetenebraechoir]

It really is such a hard piece, isn't it!

[@melkelima1946]

Waiting for O Nata Lux 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏😍😍😍😍😍

[@thetenebraechoir]

by which composer?

[@melkelima1946]

@@thetenebraechoir Michael John Trotta

[@mashyngver1]

Halloween in coming, - Tenebrae is singing

[@Biafinee]

I really don't understand today's music like this one. I don't understand the "why" ? It's just so difficult to sing, even Fauré is sooo much easier. It sound ugly (for me), even like with this choir i do love, even with trained and beautiful voices. Why ? Maybe i'm stupid, or deaf, or something else, but i really don't understand this kind of music. Historical composers who wrote difficult pieces (and there are plenty of) made it sound beautiful : when you sing it, you know the difficulties are worth it. Not here.

[@CrowandRaven]

There’s no melodic line to follow for this piece. Doesn’t really tell a story aside from organized cacophony.

[@rosianeqz]

You are not deaf or stupid. Totally agree with you.

[@snorlax4021]

0:38 dude hiding laptop, secretly playing fortnite no doubt

[@NbyD]

Well sung, just a terrible piece of music.