The Gesualdo Six and Colin Currie Group Celebrate Steve Reich's 90th Birthday at the Proms
Quick Brief
The Gesualdo Six and the Colin Currie Group performed a late-night Prom at the Royal Albert Hall in London, celebrating composer Steve Reich's 90th birthday. The concert paired medieval and Renaissance polyphony with Reich's modern psalm-inspired work, Tehillim. Critics praised the event as one of the year's most atmospheric Proms.
What Happened?
At a late-night Prom at the Royal Albert Hall, the vocal ensemble The Gesualdo Six and the Colin Currie Group performed a concert celebrating Steve Reich's 90th birthday. The first half featured the singers performing early devotional music from memory—including works by Machaut, Ockeghem, Dunstable, and Josquin des Prez, alongside solo melodies by Pérotin and Hildegard of Bingen, and a 2017 piece by director Owain Park. This was paired with a performance of Steve Reich's Tehillim.
Why It Matters
The performance successfully bridged ancient traditions of psalm singing with modern minimalist composition, creating a unique and deeply atmospheric musical pairing that highlighted exceptional vocal and instrumental collaboration.
Key Facts
- The event was a late-night Prom at the Royal Albert Hall celebrating Steve Reich's 90th birthday.
- The Gesualdo Six performed early European devotional music entirely from memory.
- The program featured polyphonic works by Machaut, Ockeghem, Dunstable, and Josquin des Prez.
- Solo melodies by Pérotin and Hildegard of Bingen were included in the first half.
- The concert featured 'Hail Gladdening Light', written in 2017 by The Gesualdo Six bass and director Owain Park.
- Steve Reich's Tehillim was paired alongside the medieval and Renaissance vocal music.
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