Vox Luminis

Another concert in another church (and if you start singing Evita I’m sorry - it’s not really relevant). The church in the photo is Our Lady of Loretto and St Michael Catholic Church in Musselburgh, and the performers a Belgian early music vocal ensemble called Vox Luminis - very much to the fore these days.

They sang Palestrina and Victoria, music which lies at the heart of everything that I’ve done in music and in the church. Along with Byrd, these composers’ music transformed me from being someone who enjoyed performing as much for the social aspect as anything else, and instead gave me a passion. So tonight was riveting, fascinating and close to my heart, and I felt able to be involved with every strand, every voice, every nuance. The sound was different from the treble-led clarity I’ve been accustomed to; the men were strong and resonant and the polyphony more evenly balanced than I’ve heard.

A lovely evening, and s far distance from the rugby training at which I found myself a spectator at 9am ...