An Old Belief has an unusual structure among the vast output of The Sixteen. Rather than a collection of similarly formed pieces or a single large work, it consists of a sequence of short pieces leading up to an extended work, the Songs of Farewell, written by Hubert Parry during World War I, near the end of his life. The album takes its title from one of these songs. The album was recorded in 2021, well before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, but it is timely. Parry's mood, seeing several of his students killed in action, ...
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An Old Belief has an unusual structure among the vast output of The Sixteen. Rather than a collection of similarly formed pieces or a single large work, it consists of a sequence of short pieces leading up to an extended work, the Songs of Farewell, written by Hubert Parry during World War I, near the end of his life. The album takes its title from one of these songs. The album was recorded in 2021, well before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, but it is timely. Parry's mood, seeing several of his students killed in action, was gloomy and resigned, and he chose texts that reflected a desire to seek solace in faith or in the approach of death. They're wonderful songs, somewhat under-performed, and it would be hard to imagine better performances than the ones here, with The Sixteen bulked up slightly. The program was assembled for a tour and includes various kinds of pieces, with medieval works accompanied by bell and tabor, Herbert Howells' Take him, Earth, for Cherishing, as well as several Renaissance...
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