The Scholars Repertoire/Programmes

Gregorian Chant, Masses, Motets, Madrigals, Chansons, Glees, Partsongs, Folksongs and Contemporary Music: all these and more feature in VoL's fascinating and ever-evolving repertoire, selected from more than five centuries of vocal music (14 centuries including Gregorian Chant) and comprising over 300 pieces in 9 different languages. The Scholars perform all the most famous pieces for four voices SATB such as Byrd's Mass for Four Voices and Jannequin's Chant des oiseaux and other superb music from all periods. The following categories and composers are represented:

ENGLISH 15th - 17th C. Motets, Masses & Anthems
Amner, Anon. (15th C. carols), Byrd, Cornysh, Farrant, Gibbons, Johnson, Loosemore, Morley, Pygott, Redford, Taverner, Whyte
ITALIAN 16th - 17th C. Motets & Masses
Anerio, Croce, Festa, Marenzio, Palestrina, Viadana
LOW COUNTRIES/FRANCE 15th - 16th C. Motets & Masses
Clemens, Gombert, Josquin, Lassus, Manchicourt, Mouton, Vaet
SPANISH 15th - 17th C. Motets, Masses & Villancicos
Anon. (Cancionero de Upsala), Flecha, Guerrero, Morales, Navarro, Robledo, Ruimonte, Vasquez, Victoria
GERMAN 16th - 18th C. Motets & Chorales
Aichinger, J.S.Bach, Handl, Lechner, Liebhold, Praetorius
ENGLISH CLASSICAL/ROMANTIC 18th - early 20th C. Anthems
Callcott, Crotch, Ouseley, Parry, Stainer, Sterndale Bennett
20th C. & CONTEMPORARY
Barja, R.R. Bennett, Doveton, Joubert, Holst, Moore, Walton
CHRISTMAS CAROLS
A wide variety of traditional carols from several countries in arrangements by Willcocks, Doveton etc.

ENGLISH MADRIGALS
Bartlett, Bateson, Bennet, Byrd, Dowland. Farmer, Farnaby, Henry VIII, Morley , Pilkington, Tomkins, Weelkes, Wilbye
FRENCH 16th C. CHANSONS
Arcadelt, Bertrand, Clemens, Jannequin, Josquin, Lassus, Passereau, Sermisy, Sweelinck, Tabourot, Vassal
ITALIAN MADRIGALS
Arcadelt, Cara, Desprez, Donato, Ferrabosco, Festa, Lassus, Marenzio, Pesenti, Rore, Tromboncino, Wert, Willaert
SPANISH 16TH C. MADRIGALS etc.
Encina, Ruimonte, Vasquez
GERMAN 16th C. LIEDER
Franck, Hassler, Isaac, Lassus, Praetorius, Scandellus, Senfl
ENGLISH CLASSICAL GLEES
Arnold, Callcott, Cooke, Hatton, Mornington, Stevens, Webbe
SHAKESPEARE SONGS from Five Centuries
Callcott, Doveton, Hatton, Macfarren, Morley, Stevens
ENGLISH ROMANTIC PARTSONGS
Hatton, Macfarren, Parry, Smart
GERMAN ROMANTIC
Brahms, Hensel (Fanny Mendelssohn), Mendelssohn
20th CENTURY & CONTEMPORARY
Richard Rodney Bennett, Christopher Brown, Robin Doveton, Benjamin Lees, Philip Moore, Ralph Vaughan Williams
FOLKSONGS
Arrangements by Robin Doveton of over 50 songs from Australia, Austria, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Scotland, Spain, the USA (incl. spirituals) and Wales

Robin Doveton's Folksong and Carol arrangements, and other pieces sung by The Scholars/The Scholars of London, are published by Doveton Music. To view the catalogue or for further information, please go to www.doveton-music.de

The Scholars's repertoire is constantly growing and their programmes always evolving. On this page you will find examples of the well-planned and original programming which contributes so much to their continuing success with audiences all over the world. VoL will always do their best to comply with requests for special programming. Some suggestions made by concert organisers have been extremely stimulating and have led to permanent additions to the repertoire list. None of the following programmes should be regarded as being 'carved in stone'. A special feature of The Scholars's concerts is the entertaining and informative spoken introductions given by all four singers which bring the audience into closer contact with the performers and enliven the concert experience.

"500 Years of Song"
High class cultural entertainment for the general classical music audience - a voyage through The Scholars' repertoire, shown here in just two of many possible permutations and combinations.

Italian Madrigals
El grillo Josquin Desprez (1450-1521)
Il bianco e dolce cigno Jacques Arcadelt (c.1500-68)

Chi salira per me Giaches de Wert (1535-96)
O sonno Cypriano di Rore (1516-99)
Chi la gagliarda Baldassare Donato (c.1525-1603)

English Madrigals
Fine knacks for ladies John Dowland (1562-1623)
Phyllis, farewell Thomas Bateson (c.1570-1601)
Fair Phyllis I saw sitting all alone John Farmer (c.1570-1601)
Cease, sorrows, now Thomas Weelkes (c.1575-1623)
Weep no more, thou sorry boy Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656)

French Chansons
Tant que vivray Claudin de Sermisy (c. 1490-1562)
Un jeune moine Orlando Lassus (1532-94)
La nuit froide Orlando Lassus
Si je suis brun Orlando Lassus
Le chant des oiseaux Clement Jannequin (c.1475-1558)

Intermission

Shakespeare Songs
It was a lover and his lass Thomas Morley (1557-1602)
Orpheus with his lute George MacFarren (1813-87)
Over hill, over dale J. L. Hatton (1808-86)
When daisies pied Robin Doveton
Hey ho, the wind and the rain arr. Robin Doveton

English Glees
Deh! Dove? Benjamin Cooke (1734-93)
It was a friar of orders grey John Callcott (1766-1821)
In the lonely vale John Callcott

Engish Folksongs
As I walked out arr. Robin Doveton
Scarborough fair arr. Robin Doveton
Greensleeves arr. Robin Doveton
Oh no John, no! arr. Robin Doveton

Songs of Praise
Exsultate justi Ludovico Viadana (1564-1645)
Rejoice in the Lord alway ?John Redford
Schmücke dich Crüger, harm. J. S. Bach
How dear are thy counsels William Crotch (1775-1847)
Gettin' up mornin' Spiritual, arr. Robin Doveton

Singing & dancing
Belle, qui tiens ma vie Jehan Tabourot (1520-95)
Tutto lo di Orlando di Lasso (1532-1594)
Since Robin Hood Thomas Weelkes (1575-1623)
Song of the rain chant Christopher Brown (b.1943))
Chi la gagliarda Baldassare Donato (c.1525-1603)

The Animal Kingdom
Searching for lambs Trad. English, arr. Robin Doveton
Ye spotted snakes R.J.S. Stevens (1757-1837)
Il bianco e dolce cigno Jacques Arcadelt (c.1500-68)
Le chant des oiseaux Clement Jannequin (c.1475-1558)

Intermission

The Seasons
Herzlich tut mich erfreuen Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)
Yuki no huru machi o Nakada, arr. Robin Doveton
Mailied F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1800-47)
In summer's cool shade Samuel Arnold (1740-1802)

The Power of Music
Begone, dull care Trad. English, arr. Robin Doveton
Orpheus with his lute George MacFarren (1813-87)
Silence and Music Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Songs of Love
Fair Phyllis I saw sitting all alone John Farmer (c.1570-1601)
O love, they wrong thee much Hubert Parry (1848-1918)
Annie Laurie Lady J. Scott, arr. Robin Doveton
Mas vale trocar Juan del Encina (1468-c.1530)
The yellow rose of Texas Trad. American, arr. Robin Doveton

"Nowell sing we"
A Seasonal Christmas compilation, every bit as varied and entertaining as "500 Years of Song".

Gaudete, Christus est natus Anon. (Piae Cantiones, 1582)
Nowell, sing we Anon. 15th century
All sons of Adam Anon. 16th century

Queramus cum pastoribus Johannes Mouton (c.1475-1522)
Pastores, dicite, quidnam vidistis? Cristobal Morales (c.1500-1553)
O magnum mysterium Tomas Luis de Victoria (c.1548-1611)

Psallite unigenite Michael Praetorius (1571-1621)
Da die Zeit erfüllet Liebhold (c.1730)
Uns ist ein Kind geboren Liebhold (†c.1735)

Five Carols (1967) Richard Rodney Bennett (b.1936)
   There is no rose
   Out of your sleep
   That younge child
   Sweet was the song
   Susanni

Intermission

Riu, riu, chiu Anon. (Spanish c.1500)
Canite tuba Francisco Guerrero (1528-1599)
Niño Dios Francisco Guerrero
Todo quanto pudo dar Francisco Guerrero

We three Kings of Orient are J.H.Hopkins (1820-91) arr. R. Doveton
Wiegenlied Trad.German, arr. Charles Macpherson
Stille nacht Trad. German, arr. Robin Doveton

Christo paremus John Joubert (b.1931)
There is no rose John Joubert

The first nowell Trad. English, arr. R. Doveton
Quittez, pasteurs Trad. French, arr. R. Doveton
Infant holy Trad. Polish, arr. David Willcocks
Les anges Trad. French, arr. R. Doveton
Deck the Hall Trad. Welsh, arr. David Willcocks

"The Golden Age in the Sistine Chapel"
A cogently planned and varied Early Music Programme featuring the glorious music of composers who worked in the Sistine Chapel, Rome during the 16th Century.

Kyrie from Mass Pange, lingua* Josquin Desprez (c.1440-1521)
Regina caeli laetare Johannes Bonnevin (?-1542)

Queramus cum pastoribus Johannes Mouton (c.1475-1522)

Nunc dimittis Costanzo Festa (c.1490-1545)

Gloria* Josquin Desprez

Hoc corpus Melchor Robledo (c.1520-87)

Pastores, dicite, quidnam vidistis? Cristóbal de Morales (c.1500-53)

O magnum misterium T. L. de Victoria (c.1548-1611)

Intermission

Dum aurora finem daret G. P. da Palestrina (1525-94)

Credo* Josquin Desprez

Super flumina Babylonis G. P. da Palestrina

Sanctus-Benedictus* Josquin Desprez

Tribus miraculis Luca Marenzio (1553-99)

Agnus Dei* Josquin Desprez

Alleluia, Christus surrexit Felice Anerio (1560-1614)

"Bach Chorales and the Church Year"
A fascinating exercise in sacred music contrasts, tracing an entire cycle of the Church Year from Advent to Reformation Day, and illustrated with 500 years of Seasonal Church Music, centered upon J. S. Bach's sumptuous Chorale harmonisations.Loewe and Brahms, and ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.