Paragon Singers with Bradford Baroque Band 

Wiltshire Music Centre

Christmas in Cuzco it was called. Away in a Manger it was not.  As the programme – itself a miniature model of musical scholarship – explained, what we heard was the fusion of 16th/17th century Spanish polyphony with the rhythmic energy of native South American dance and drumming, resulting in the composition of, for example, the sacred villancico by the Jesuit missionaries. 

The results are remarkable for the uninhibited vigour and syncopated drive which produces a uniquely exciting sound.  It is also quite challenging to perform, verbally and musically – which probably accounts for the close attention paid by choir and soloists to their copies.

But the results were a triumph of playing and singing in a combination of chorus and soloists, the programme cleverly designed to illustrate the contrast between the use of plainchant, polyphony in the words of the Latin Mass, and the bounding excitement of the dance rhythms. 

Belsayaga's Magnificat sexti toni was particularly effective  and I enjoyed Salazar's Salga, springing to life in its surging finale: Araujo's duet for two sopranos (Kate Semmens and Jane Hunt) Recordar jilguerillos, lilting and delicate, sung with smiles and movement, was really delightful: Dulce Jesus mio,  legato and atmospheric, was beautifully sung by the chorus and solo quartet  and the final Zespedes' Convidando esta la noche was absolutely tremendous, full of urgent compelling rhythms and noisy good-humoured shouts – though I didn't actually hear olẻ: a magnificent climax.

Soloists Kate Semmens, Jane Hunt (sopranos), Aaron Burchell (alto), Rupert Drury (tenor) and Niall Hoskin (baritone) were all in fine form.  And the Bradford Baroque Band with Steven Hollis at the organ and the inimitable Simone Rebello on percussion, were immaculate both in the quieter continuo sections and in full force, authentic and utterly committed. 

Bravo to them all, and to conductor Keith Bennett for a typically scholarly balanced collection of works from an era rich in life-affirming musical quality, recreated with style and panache.  It was great. Olẻ.

Peter Lloyd Williams