Chilingirian Quartet & Tenebrae Consort, Sam Wanamaker Theatre

On Maundy Thursday, Christ held his last supper with his twelve Apostles, where he revealed that one amongst their number would betray him. The next day, he was arrested, interrogated and crucified. These days, along with the Resurrection that followed, stand at a very core of Christian theology – and consequently at the heart of European culture. Few stories have had such an enormous influence on the arts, and music is no exception.
As part of its winning Concerts by Candlelight programme, the atmospheric Sam Wanamaker Playhouse will host the Chilingirian Quartet and the Tenebrae Consort for performance of two great works dealing with the last hours of Christ. Joseph Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ (1787), originally written for orchestra but soon after adapted for string quartet, comprises a stately introduction, seven contemplative sonata movements and a dramatic ‘Earthquake’ finale. Carlo Gesualdo’s Tenebrae Responsories for Maudy Thursday (1611), also in nine movements, stands as one of the peaks of the troubled composer’s career, balancing a breathtakingly haunting beauty with unparalleled moments of dissonance and harmonic intensity. The pieces will be played in alternating movements, encouraging a dialogue between the two masters as Christ edges towards his death.
The Chilingirian Quartet are one of the UK’s most respected and versatile string ensembles. Comprised of four highly accomplished musicians – Stephen Orton (cello), Ronald Birks (violin), Susie Mészáros (viola) and violinist Levon Chilingirian himself – they are known equally for their balanced and subtle performances of the canonical repertoire and their support of contemporary chamber compositions. Haydn is a particular specialty, and indeed they have performed almost fifty of his quartets.
If the Tenebrae Choir are a leviathan of choral performance, then Tenebrae Consort are a school of shimmering fish. Composed of ten of the larger ensemble’s finest voices, they specialize in intimate performances of early music, with a particular focus on Thomas Tallis.