We are excited to have received the music for Everybloom, a new composition by Giles Swayne for mixed choir and viols based on texts from Joyce’s Ulysses, which we are premiering with the New Cambridge Singers in April 2017 as part of their programme Renaissance Reimagined. Also on the programme is Tallis’ spectacular 40-part motet Spem in Alium, with the Newe Vialles forming one of the five choirs alongside groups of voices and cornets and sackbuts. This should be a spectacular event and the programme will be performed in Cambridge and London.

 

In Spring 2017 we will travel to Bristol for a concert and evensong with the choir of St Mary Redcliffe, featuring some wonderful 17th century works for voices and viols – more details coming soon!

On the 15th May, The Newe Vialles are making a London appearance at St Michael’s, Battersea. This is a chance to hear the extended version of our programme based on the Shirley Partbooks, which will form the basis of our first CD recording. Copied by William Lawes in the 1620s, the Shirley Partbooks feature some of the most beautiful works from the ‘golden age’ of English consort music, including music for viols in four, five and six parts by Alfonso Ferrabosco II, John Coprario, John Bull, Thomas Lupo and William Lawes himself.

Links to further information:
Wandsworth Arts Fringe
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St Michael’s Church

On Thursday 25th February at 7.30 pm, at the Guildhall School for Music and Drama, the Newe Vialles will be playing as part of a celebration of the life of the viol player Richard Campbell, who taught three of our core members. Works will include a new commission for viol consort by his son Jocelyn Campbell.

We are working on our concert schedule for the next 12 months, which will include recitals in Bristol, London, and a project with the New Cambridge Singers, directed by Graham Walker and featuring a new commission by Giles Swayne. Please check our performances page as more details go online!

Rehearsals are underway for our debut project – recording a selection of the music from the Shirley Partbooks, copied for the Shirley family of Staunton Harrold in Leicestershire by William Lawes. Particularly exciting are the Italian madgrials – despite being an important part of the repertoire for early 17th century viol players, these have hardly ever been recorded on viols alone. Finding ways of bringing texted music to life without text – and thinking about appropriate ornamentation – is a great challenge, and also has its effect on how we approach the consort repertoire found in these manuscripts.