REPERTOIRE

I Fagiolini is a versatile solo-voice ensemble, specialising in Renaissance, early Baroque and contemporary repertoire. Unlike many British vocal groups, it does not work specifically on a particular sound, believing that this must come from the character of the music rather than being imprinted on it. The group's passion is to get entirely inside the style of whatever it is singing. So naturally their Poulenc and Milhaud sounds very different from their Monteverdi, which in turn is a very different colour from the Adrian Williams or South African repertoire.

A major preoccupation for I Fagiolini is Renaissance secular music, music that is rather more ‘difficult’ than its sacred cousin, both because of how to present it in recordings and because its context can be obscure. To this end, I Fagiolini has in the last few years run a programme called ‘The Theatre of Music’, whose raison d’être has been to open up such pieces for a contemporary audience, not by compromising the music but by giving it context; the aural equivalent of putting a 2D image in 3D. A number of these works have a comic side which has led some to assume that I Fagiolini is focussed on comedy. This is not the case but the group is trying to bring alive music from the past and will stand on its head if it aids this process.

I Fagiolini has also continued to research, perform and record other important but otherwise ignored areas of Renaissance repertoire. To this end in the early 1990s, it released two CDs of mostly unrecorded Byrd repertoire (before the Cardinall’s Musicke’s admirable series of Byrd) in period pronunication. This latter feature infuriated some critics but it’s hard to argue against it when so many in the period instrument movement take such pains over their gut strings, instrument size and bow length. Certainly it had a profound effect on tuning and the colour of the sound. I Fagiolini has also made acclaimed CDs of Thomas Tomkins and Andrea Gabrieli, two first-rate musicians, whose music is as varied and fascinating as it is of the highest quality.

The resurgence of writing for a capella ensemble in the 20th century has provided I Fagiolini with much material, though plenty of it is choral rather than solo-vocal in character. Since the group's second concert it has commissioned new music, notably from two unrelated Williams, whose understanding of the ensemble’s powerful internal dynamic has resulted in fabulous works, richly rewarding to sing and to listen to, popular with audiences and promoters alike.

Left is a series of programmes I Fagiolini offers, from small a capella evenings to larger events with sackbutts and cornetts. Robert Hollingworth is always happy to discuss alternative ideas and can be contacted through mail@ifagiolini.com