The King's Singers
The The King's Singers are a six-man a cappella ensemble from the UK. Your name refers to the King's College in Cambridge, England, where this group was founded in 1968 by former choir scholarship. In the United Kingdom its popularity peaked in the 1970s and early 1980s. In addition, it was possible to reach a wider international audience to Australia and New Zealand for their first overseas tour them in 1972. In 1987, she appeared as a guest in the ABC television special Julie Andrews: The Sound Of Christmas on, which won an Emmy Award. In February 2009 their CD Simple Gifts won a Grammy Award in the category " Best Classical Crossover Album." As part of the 54th Grammy Awards in February 2012, they also received along with Eric Whitacre a prize in the category "Best Choral Performance" for the album Light and Gold, on which they recite the title of The Stolen Child, which of Whitacre specifically for the ensemble was written.
Today the ensemble in about 120 concerts per year, particularly in Europe and the USA and the Far East occurs worldwide,, . For some time, the People's Republic of China is part of their tour list. In 2013 the ensemble made its first concert tour of South America. Your anniversary tour for the 40th anniversary of the ensemble in 2008 included two best-of- concerts at Cadogan Hall, London, a spiritual performance at the King's College Chapel and beyond concerts in Paris, Rome, Berlin, New York and Tokyo ( at to name a few). In recent years, the ensemble had a few special appearances at the Royal Albert Hall Proms, and as part of the Three Choirs Festival and the City of London Festival.
History
Early years
The roots of the King's Singers go back to the year 1965, when six choral students of King's College, University of Cambridge named Martin Lane, Alastair Hume, Alastair Thompson, Richard Salter and Brian Kay under the name Schola Cantorum Pro Musica profana in Cantabridgiense a recordings album together. Their first concert under the name King's Singers gave this group then on May 1, 1968 in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London in collaboration with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Simon Preston ( organ) and Barry Tuckwell ( horn). Just a few months after it came to the first changes in the composition of the ensemble. First, withdrew before the end of 1968, the countertenor Martin Lane as a result of a tumor from the ensemble back. In the aftermath of this was alternately replaced by Felicity Palmer, Eleanor Capp, Caryl Newnham, James Bowman and Richard Baker, until the summer of 1969, Nigel Perrin was able to join as an integral part and new first countertenor Ensemble after finishing his studies. In addition, in 1969, also left baritone Richard Salter the ensemble, as he received a Richard Tauber Scholarship and went to Vienna. Consequently took until the end of the year Nigel Beavan one whose part. Then Anthony Holt joined the ensemble, the first choice for the position of the first baritone was already after leaving Salters, but a commitment due to its secure employment and the still relative lack of awareness of the ensemble initially faced hostile. With accession Holts again was a stable formation, which in 1978 lasted until the departure of Alastair Thompson after the ten-year anniversary in the year.
Establishment
In its early years, the King's Singers occurred primarily in Britain. Chance they also had appearances in other European countries, but their ensemble activity was still only a sideline. Simon Carrington, Alastair Hume, for example, and both were as a double bass player in the BBC Northern Orchestra (now the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra ) employed in Manchester. By offering a 35 - part concert tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1972, they decided their work fulltime perform. That was the beginning of her international success. Travel to South Africa, Canada, the USA and throughout Europe followed. During breaks from touring, working on albums for their record company, EMI, or also appeared in radio and television broadcasts. Highlights from the first 10 years were the guest appearances on the Nana Mouskouri show and Ronnie Corbett Show, her own show - The King's Singers World of Music as well as the multiple award with gold records.
After this long period, the Group adopted when a member of the King's Singers would decide to leave the group that this would inevitably also mean the end of the ensemble. One was convinced that it would be impossible to find someone new, let alone integrate it. However, when it decided in 1978 to leave the ensemble Alastair Thompson, their contractual obligations went so far into the future that it was impossible to stop. Thus, it came with the change from him to Bill Ives for the first correct exchange an ensemble member. In the following period included, among other things, a film about the Madrigal History Tour, working with Paul McCartney on "Frog Choir ", the first-time trip to East Asia, the regular appearances on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show in the United States, the start of a publishing company, and the publication a book of the outstanding projects of the ensemble.
Gradually there were further changes, so that today no founding members is more active part of the ensemble. For former members now include Jeremy Jackman, Colin Mason, Bob Chilcott, Stephen Connolly, Bruce Russell, Philip Lawson, Nigel Short, Gabriel Crouch and Robin Tyson. The current ensemble consists of the following persons ( entry year in parentheses):
- David Hurley ( countertenor 1) - ( 1990)
- Tim Wayne -Wright ( countertenor 2) - ( 2009)
- Paul Phoenix (tenor ) - ( 1997)
- Christopher Bruerton (baritone 1) - ( 2012)
- Christopher Gabbitas (baritone 2) - ( 2004)
- Jonathan Howard (bass ) - ( 2010)
Thus, there have been 24 official members of the King's Singers. Special mention must be given especially Alastair Hume and Simon Carrington, who were founding members 25 years, part of the ensemble. Currently have the King's Singers with the New Zealander Christopher Bruerton the first time since 2012 a member that is not from the UK.
By 2000, around the King's Singers briefly called themselves king'singers ( with a small k at the beginning and an s in the middle only ). This witness among others, the cover of the CD Fire Waterund some sheet music. However, this change did not last long, but the current logo comes from this term.
Today
Today, the King's Singers, more than half of the year worldwide concert tour. They occur either alone or with accompaniment. Among other things, they worked example both in the context of concerts and CD- productions already Sarband, the South Westphalian Philharmonic, Evelyn Glennie, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Concordia Choir and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. Most recently they have a winter album co-produced with oboist Albrecht Mayer. In general, the King's Singers publish at least one new album a year. In addition, they are in high demand as lecturers for ensemble of different sizes and hold master classes and workshops annually.
Style and repertoire
The King's Singers are known for their very special ensemble sound. This is mainly due to their initially quite unusual composition. There are usually six part male ensemble British traits of two countertenors, two tenors and two basses or instead of two bass, a baritone and a bass. The King's Singers sat down but instead of two countertenors, one tenor, two baritones and a bass together. This formation, which has arisen at the beginning rather accidentally, resulting in a greater sonority in the lower voices and thus to the characteristic sound feature of the group.
With regard to their repertoire, the King's Singers have an incredible range, so they can not be truly categorized in relation to a particular genre. Their program include polyphonic Renaissance works, sounds from the age of Romanticism, works by contemporary composers, religious songs or arrangements in " close harmony " current folk and pop songs. They sing in a variety of languages in addition to English often also in French, Italian, Spanish, German or Latin. Over the years, a collection of over 2000 different works and arrangements has become so accumulated in their personal library. From this impressive array of the King's Singers usually present in most of their concerts a small but stylistically broad selection ( for example, " Byrd to Bublé " ), so hardly a concert like the other. Your aim is to entertain the audience not only with her fine British humor, but also to expand its musical horizons. Listeners who come to the concerts because of the pop arrangements are introduced, for example in the literature of the Renaissance and of course vice versa.
Since time immemorial, the King's Singers regularly work with contemporary composers. On the long list of composers who have written specifically for the ensemble, are under a different name such as György Ligeti, Richard Rodney Bennett, Eric Whitacre, Luciano Berio, Peter Maxwell Davies, Krzysztof Penderecki, John Rutter, Tōru Takemitsu, and John Tavener Alexander L' Estrange. Moreover, in addition, some members have even arranged for the ensemble. In this context, the extensive work by Bob Chilcott and Philip Lawson are emphasized.
Part of the King's Singer repertoire is available in the form of displaying notation and single issues, so it is amateur ensembles allows Alamoth popular original arrangements.
Occupation
The following table gives an overview of the different occupations over time of the pre -King 's Singers era until today.
* According to Martin Lanes disease following persons have taken temporarily the position of the first countertenor: Felicity Palmer, Eleanor Capp and Caryl Newnham ( Sopranos ) and James Bowman and Richard Baker ( countertenors ).
Richard Salter ** After leaving Nigel Beavan has taken the meantime his position.
All agencies listed below the table are not recognized as full and official members of the ensemble. For this reason, it is expressed as the number of previous King's Singers members in Rule 24. This results in an average time of about 11.5 years per member of the ensemble since its official establishment in 1968.
Activities of former Members
Many former members of the King's Singers continue to work in the field of (chorus ) music, such as countertenor Nigel Short with Tenebrae, baritone Gabriel Crouch as a lecturer at a U.S. university, Baritone Simon Carrington as a professor at Yale University (USA) and tenor Bob Chilcott as a composer and arranger.
Discography
The King's Singers now have a discography of over 150 recordings The following overview provides an insight into this extensive collection.