MICHAEL DRAKE King of Hearts, Norwich

MICHAEL DRAKE

King of Hearts, Norwich

Because of limited space on Friday this was not the group's “jumping” mood, though the small play read around an imaginary dining table was an amusing interlude before the usual pastime of singing madrigals.

Earlier it was illustrated that love was hard work at that time, particularly according to Monteverdi as the mixed voice quintet displayed immaculate balance and diction in dealing with the chromaticism and chord-al progressions. There is no hesitation and they are almost telepathic in their a cappella singing.

Continuing the KOH Autumn Festival theme of bridging the gap between the renaissance and contemporary music, a pair of Milhaud poems brought impressionist nostalgia and then it was back to 15th century Spain with some beautifully controlled singing of a weaving folk song and finally da Flecha's allegorical saving of the soul from fire, full of Iberian rhythm.