A Belgian Christmas

Online booking available until 11am on Sat 27th September. Thereafter tickets available on the door.

In the Renaissance, Belgium could rightly claim to be one of the major musical centres of the world. The Low Countries produced many of the greatest composers of the time, and the region was renowned as the ‘Conservatory of Europe’. Across the continent, Belgian musicians were in the highest demand as singers, composers, and choral directors.

In this concert of sacred music by composers from Renaissance Belgium, the men of DE PROFUNDIS, directed by Stephen Rice, present a programme of music for Christmas. The main work is the Missa Pastores quidnam vidistis by Clemens non Papa, set alongside festive motets by Gombert, Josquin, Brumel, and de Monte. We know the build up to Christmas seems to start earlier and earlier each year, but we hope you’ll forgive us this once.

STEPHEN RICE is a freelance choral conductor, singer, and writer, and is the founder and director of the Brabant Ensemble, a group which specialises in the sacred music of Renaissance Belgium. He also conducts oratorio and opera, was Director of the New Chamber Opera Studio, and for several years was Director of Music at St Mary Magdalen, Oxford.

Host or Publisher De Profundis, conducted by Stephen Rice