‘Superb’ performances by The Sixteen at The Cumnock Tryst’s opening concert

Wednesday, 8 October 2014

James MacMillan’s inaugural Cumnock Tryst in Scotland, part-supported by the Genesis Foundation, has been met with great critical acclaim. The sold-out opening concert with Harry Christophers and The Sixteen was a huge success, receiving an excellent 5 star review in The Scotsman and an equally glowing review in Herald Scotland.

Performing works by Renaissance composer John Sheppard and MacMillan’s own Miserere, The Sixteen also gave the Scottish premieres of the three Genesis Foundation Stabat Mater commissions by Alissa Firsova, Matthew Martin and Tõnu Kõrvits.

“The new works were all settings of the Stabat Mater, but each bore its own distinctive charm and personality.” ★★★★ The Scotsman

The standing ovation at the end of the concert was well deserved, with The Sixteen delivering a “rich and resonant sound” (The Scotsman) in every work.

Herald Scotland also praised Harry Christophers and The Sixteen for “a superb performance”, their “trademark Sixteen sound (robust, clean, perfectly blended)” shining in the acoustics of St John’s, Cumnock, the church where the MacMillan family have a lifelong association.

 

The Scottish premieres of the three Genesis Foundation commissions form part of the Genesis Foundation’s 2014 Stabat Mater commissioning programme. The project continues next month with the CD release of the Stabat Maters by Alissa Firsova, Matthew Martin and Tõnu Kõrvits on The Sixteen’s label CORO.

To find out more about the Genesis Foundation’s Stabat Mater project click here.