The King’s Singers, six of the most glorious voices in the world, will appear Friday as a Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Strathmore Special Presentation.
Founded at King’s College, Cambridge in 1968, the British ensemble has a repertoire encompassing sacred and secular works from the 1200s to the present. Masters of many languages and musical genres, they boast over 70 recordings and a Grammy nomination. Their current tour highlights their latest recording, “Landscapes & Time,” a diverse collection of modern works by English, American, Finnish, Hungarian and Estonian composers. Their brilliant harmonies enhance these languages, as well as the Japanese text in “Remembered Love,” a work they commissioned from American composer Jackson Hill.
Countertenor David Hurley, the ensemble’s spokesman, talked about their uncanny ability to sing like natives in a variety of languages.
“Whether we are singing in our native English or in another language, we get the text across by singing it as we speak it,” he says. “A lot of our work is individual. Since our homes are scattered about England, we learn our parts separately. Instead of getting together frequently to rehearse, we are prepared when we meet at Heathrow Airport in London to go on tour. Upon reaching the hall, we rehearse two hours before the concert to sharpen the pieces.
“Initially, when we are learning a piece in another language, we have a language coach who is also present at the recording studio. The system works well because we frequently receive compliments from people for whom the language is their mother tongue.”
In addition to Hurley, the current King’s Singers are countertenor Robin Tyson, tenor Paul Phoenix, baritone Philip Lawson, baritone Chris Gabbitas and bass Stephen Connolly. Personnel changes over the years have been simplified by the close knit world of British cathedral choruses.
“It’s such a small word that we know the vast majority of people in London cathedrals and in the various cathedrals throughout the country, so news of an opening travels by word of mouth,” Hurley says. “Singers often contact us to let them know when an opening occurs. Once we begin looking, we get together to cross-check our short list, then we invite two or three for a round of auditions.
“The final choice is intuned with us not only in music, but also in many other ways. Although our system allows us to spend much time with our families, we tour at least 100 days each year, so it’s important that we are congenial.”
“Scenes in American Deserts” by John McCabe is one of the most distinctive commissions included in “Landscape and Time.” A musical collage of the Arizona landscape, it evokes heated sands and a shimmering atmosphere.
“We wanted something slightly different and have long been aware of the common theme of music in landscape and time in our repertoire,” Hurley says. “Since we’ve already recorded some other pieces that fit into this theme, we thought it was time to put together these works in a single recording.”
IF YOU GO:
» The King’s Singers, a BSO at Strathmore Special Presentation
When: 8 p.m.
Venue: Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda
Tickets: $28 to $60
Information: Call 301-581-5100 or visit www.strathmore.org
