Pro Cantione Antiqua of London (PCA) is a British choral group which was founded in 1968 by tenor

James Griffett James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguati ...

, counter-tenor

Paul Esswood Paul Lawrence Vincent Esswood (born 6 June 1942) is an English countertenor and conductor. He is best known for his performance of Bach cantatas and the operas of Handel and Monteverdi. Along with his countrymen Alfred Deller and James Bowman ...

, and conductor and producer Mark Brown. Their first concert was at St Bartholomew's, Smithfield with Brian Brockless conducting but, from an early stage, they were closely associated with conductor and musicologist Bruno Turner. Arguably, they were the leading British performers of

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...

music, especially early music, prior to the founding of the

Tallis Scholars The Tallis Scholars is a British professional early music vocal ensemble normally consisting of two singers per part, with a core group of ten singers. They specialise in performing ''a cappella'' sacred vocal music. History The group was formed ...

. Singers have included: * countertenors:

, Tom Sutcliffe, Geoffrey Mitchell, James Bowman, Keith Davis, Timothy Penrose, Kevin Smith,

Michael Chance Michael Chance CBE (born in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom 7 March 1955) is an English countertenor and the founder and Artistic Director of The Grange Festival. Chance was born in Penn, Buckinghamshire, into a musical family. After growing u ...

, Ashley Stafford, Richard Hill and Charles Brett. * tenors: Paul Elliott, James Griffett, James Lewington,

Ian Partridge Ian Partridge (born 12 June 1938) is a retired English lyric tenor, whose repertoire ranged from Monteverdi, Bach and Handel, the Elizabethan lute songs, German, French and English songs, through to Schoenberg, Weill and Britten, and on to conte ...

, Ian Thompson and

Andrew Carwood Andrew Carwood (born 30 April 1965) is the Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral in London and director of his own group, The Cardinall's Musick. Biography He was educated at The John Lyon School, Harrow and was a choral scholar in the Choir ...

. * basses: David Beavan, Ian Caddy, Brian Etheridge, Michael George, Christopher Keyte, Christopher Underwood, Stephen Roberts, David Thomas and Adrian Peacock. * Though principally an all-male group it has been supplemented with female voices where appropriate (e.g. for the 1978 recordings OUP 151/2 under

Philip Ledger Sir Philip Stevens Ledger, CBE, FRSE (12 December 1937 – 18 November 2012) was an English classical musician, choirmaster and academic, best remembered as Director of the Choir of King's College, Cambridge in 1974–1982 and of the Royal Scot ...

, to accompany ''

The Oxford Book of English Madrigals ''The Oxford Book of English Madrigals'' was edited by Philip Ledger, and published in 1978 by the Oxford University Press. It contains words and full music for some 60 of the madrigals and songs of the English Madrigal School. When selecting ...

'')

Discography

Archiv

PCA's 6-LP set 'The Flowering of Renaissance Polyphony' (Geistliche Musik der Renaissance') issued on Archiv in the late 1970s was particularly influential. This was subsequently reissued with other material for Archiv as 7-CD: * CD1:

John Dunstable John Dunstaple (or Dunstable, – 24 December 1453) was an English composer whose music helped inaugurate the transition from the medieval to the Renaissance periods. The central proponent of the ''Contenance angloise'' style (), Dunstaple was ...

Guillaume Dufay Guillaume Du Fay ( , ; also Dufay, Du Fayt; 5 August 1397(?) – 27 November 1474) was a French composer and music theorist of the early Renaissance. Considered the leading European composer of his time, his music was widely performed and repr ...

Gilles Binchois Gilles de Bins dit Binchois (also Binchoys; – 20 September 1460) was a Franco-Flemish composer of early Renaissance music. A central figure of the Burgundian School, Binchois and his colleague Guillaume Du Fay were deeply influenced by the ...

: Motets * CD2:

Antoine Busnois Antoine Busnois (also Busnoys; – before 6 November 1492) was a French composer, singer and poet of early Renaissance music. Busnois and colleague Johannes Ockeghem were the leading European composers of the second half the 15th century, and ...

Josquin des Prez Josquin Lebloitte dit des Prez ( – 27 August 1521) was a composer of High Renaissance music, who is variously described as French or Franco-Flemish. Considered one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he was a central figure of the ...

: Masses * CD3: Ockeghem Missa "Pro defunctis" - Desprez Two motets -

Jacob Obrecht Jacob Obrecht (also Hobrecht; 1457/8

* CD4: La Rue,

Isaac Isaac; grc, Ἰσαάκ, Isaák; ar, إسحٰق/إسحاق, Isḥāq; am, ይስሐቅ is one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. He was the ...

, Brumel, Mouton, Compère Motets * CD5: Gombert,

Arcadelt Jacques Arcadelt (also Jacob Arcadelt; 14 October 1568) was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in both Italy and France, and principally known as a composer of secular vocal music. Although he also wrote sacred vocal music, he wa ...

, Willaert,

Clemens non Papa Jacobus Clemens non Papa (also Jacques Clément or Jacob Clemens non Papa) ( – 1555 or 1556) was a Netherlandish composer of the Renaissance based for most of his life in Flanders. He was a prolific composer in many of the current styles, and ...

, Rore, Handl-Gallus, De Monte, Vinders: Motets. * CD6:

Lassus Orlande de Lassus ( various other names; probably – 14 June 1594) was a composer of the late Renaissance. The chief representative of the mature polyphonic style in the Franco-Flemish school, Lassus stands with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palest ...

2 Penitential Psalms.

Palestrina Palestrina (ancient ''Praeneste''; grc, Πραίνεστος, ''Prainestos'') is a modern Italian city and ''comune'' (municipality) with a population of about 22,000, in Lazio, about east of Rome. It is connected to the latter by the Via Pren ...

Motets. * CD7:

Morales Morales is a Spanish surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alfredo Morales (born 1990), American footballer * Alvaro Morales (disambiguation), several people * Amado Morales (born 1947), Puerto Rican javelin thrower * Bartolomé Mo ...

Motets,

Missa "Aeterna Christi munera" * ''The Triumphs of Oriana'' Pro Cantione Antiqua directed by Ian Partridge DC Archiv 2533 237 35 Madrigals Derrick Henry - The listener's guide to medieval & Renaissance music 1983 Page 132

DHM

* Musik der Tudor Zeit. DHM * Ockeghem Missa Ecce Ancilla Domini DHM *

William Byrd William Byrd (; 4 July 1623) was an English composer of late Renaissance music. Considered among the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he had a profound influence on composers both from his native England and those on the continent. He ...

Mass for 4 voices. *

(1440–1521) Motets. Benedicta es coelorum regina; Tu solus qui facis mirabilia; ominus regnavit; Ave Maria, virgo serena; Miserere mei Deus; Inviolata, integra et casta es, Maria.

Tölzer Knabenchor The Tölzer Knabenchor (Tölz Boys' Choir) is a German boys' choir named after the Upper Bavarian city of Bad Tölz and since 1971 based in Munich. The choir is ranked among the most versatile and sought-after boys' choirs in the world. Histor ...

, Pro Cantione Antiqua,

Collegium Aureum Collegium Aureum was a chamber orchestra founded in Cologne, Germany, in 1962, which later focused on historically informed performance. Playing typically without conductor, they recorded for three decades, and performed concerts on international ...

, DHM * ''Weihnachtsgesänge des 15.Jahrhunderts''. Christmas songs of the 15th Century. Pro Cantione Antiqua. Turner. DHM *

Missa Puisque J'Ay Perdu. Musica Dei Donum. Lauda Sion Salvatorem. Pro Cantione Antiqua, Turner DHM *

Requiem. O bone Jesu. Pro Cantione Antiqua, Turner DHM *

Tomás Luis de Victoria Tomás Luis de Victoria (sometimes Italianised as ''da Vittoria''; ) was the most famous Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He stands with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Orlande de Lassus as among the principal composers of the late Ren ...

Tenebrae Responsories DHM.

Hyperion

Canticum canticorum. Turner Hyperion. *

. Works for Easter 2CD. Hyperion *

Francisco de Peñalosa Francisco de Peñalosa (c. 1470 – April 1, 1528) was a Spanish composer of the middle Renaissance. Life He was born in Talavera de la Reina in the province of Toledo. He spent most of his career in Seville, serving as the ''maestro di capi ...

(1470–1537) Complete motets. Bruno Turner. Hyperion. reissued Helios 2009 * Music of the Portuguese renaissance.

Diogo Dias Melgás Diogo Dias Melgás (often ''Melgaz'') (Cuba (Portugal), 1638 - Évora, 1700) was a Portuguese composer of late-Renaissance sacred polyphony. Life Diogo Dias Melgás was born in Cuba, Alentejo, on 14 April 1638. He was a choirboy at the Colégio da ...

Esteban López Morago Esteban () is a Spanish male given name, derived from Greek Στέφανος (Stéphanos) and related to the English names Steven and Stephen. Although in its original pronunciation the accent is on the penultimate syllable, English-speakers tend t ...

. Pro Cantione Antiqua, Brown. Hyperion.

Carlton

Missa Papae Marcelli Stabat Mater;Missa l'Homme Arme. Alma Redemptoris Mater. Peccantem Me Quotidie Pro Cantione Antiqua, Lamentations. Bruno Turner, Mark Brown. Carlton. Reissued Alto 1CD. Reissued Brilliant 5CD. * Gregorian chant. * ''Sing we pleasure''. Madrigals Wilbye, Weelkes, Gibbons, Farnaby, Byrd, Morley, Tomkins, Greaves, Farmer, Kirbye, Ward, Bennet, East, Bateson Pro Cantione Antiqua. reissue Alto. * ''Tears and Lamentations''. Browne, Pygott, Davy, Sheryngham, Banastir, Cornyshe, Whyte, Anonymous. reissued Regis. * ''The Edwardian gentleman's songbook''. Ballads & Glees von Bishop, Stevenson, Hatton, Smart, Stanfort, Paxton, Somerville, Bridge, Foster, Sullivan. James Griffett, Pro Cantione Antiqua. Carlton. Reissue Alto.

Other labels

* ''El Siglo de oro - Spanische Kirchenmusik der Renaissance''.

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

Guerrero Guerrero is one of the 32 states that comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo and its largest city is Acapulcocopied from article, GuerreroAs of 2020, Guerrero the pop ...

, Lobo, Esquivel,

Ceballos Ceballos is a Spanish toponymic surname. A variant is Cevallos (surname), Cevallos. Notable people with the name include: *Alberto Heredia Ceballos, Spanish footballer *Camilo Ceballos, Colombian footballer *Cedric Ceballos, American basketball ...

, Pro Cantione Antiqua, Turner 2 CDs Das Alte Werk, Teldec. * ''Purcell in the Ale House'', part-songs by Purcell, Ravenscroft, Bennet, Pearce, Browne, Isham, Dowland, Campion, Pilkington, Coleman Brown, Partridge, Wilson. Pro Cantione Antiqua Teldec. reissue Apex. * Monteverdi

Vespers Vespers is a service of evening prayer, one of the canonical hours in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic (both Latin liturgical rites, Latin and Eastern Catholic Churches, Eastern), Lutheranism, Lutheran, and Anglican ...

. 2CD Pro Cantione Antiqua,

Knabenchor Hannover The Knabenchor Hannover (Hannover Boys' Choir) is a boys choir founded in 1950 by Heinz Hennig, who served as conductor until the end of 2001. Since 2002, the conductor has been Jörg Breiding. History and music The Knabenchor Hannover has tr ...

Musica Fiata Musica Fiata, also Musica Fiata Köln, is a German instrumental ensemble, founded in Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most popu ...

, dir Hennig. Ars Musici. * Pietro Allori (1925–1985), Sacred works. Mark Brown * ''A Medieval Christmas'' (accompanied by the Medieval Wind Ensemble), dir. Mark Brown, Innovative Music Productions (PCD 844), 1986 * ''The Gregorian Lent and Easter'', dir. James O'Donnell, Musica di Angeli (99182) * ''A Gregorian Advent and Christmas'', dir. James O'Donnell, The United Recording Company (CD-88007), 1993 * ''Gregorian Feast'', dir. Mark Brown, recorded 1990-2, Regis Records Ltd (RRC 1217), 2005 * Sacred Music by

Heinrich Schütz Heinrich Schütz (; 6 November 1672) was a German early Baroque composer and organist, generally regarded as the most important German composer before Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as one of the most important composers of the 17th century. He ...

, dir. Edgar Fleet, Pro Cantione Antiqua, London Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, Restoration Academy, Academy Sound and Vision (1979)

References

External links

Gregorian Feast
musicweb-international.com 2005 {{Authority control Early music choirs British choirs London choirs Musical groups established in 1968 1968 establishments in the United Kingdom