The Sixteen
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Biography
Founded in 1977 by Harry Christophers, the ensemble adopted the name The Sixteen two years later, and covers the choral repertoire of early music and the 20th century with numerous recordings. Born in Goudhurst, Kent, on December 26, 1953, Richard Henry Tudor Christophers took up choral singing at Canterbury Cathedral and studied at Oxford to become a professional chorister at Westminster Abbey, before joining the BBC Singers to form his own vocal and instrumental ensemble, The Sixteen Choir and Orchestra, which he has directed since its inception. Since its first recordings in the early 1980s for the Hyperion, Chandos and Collins Classics labels, The Sixteen has covered a wide range of composers from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, mainly English, including Byrd, Tallis, Taverner, Handel, Purcell and Sheppard, but also from continental Europe, notably Bach, Monteverdi, Allegri, Vivaldi, Victoria, Schütz and Buxtehude, through sacred music and thematic albums. Buoyed by great discographic success, particularly thanks to the A Traditional Christmas Carol Collection series (1991, 2010), the choir and orchestra give pride of place to works by modern and contemporary composers such as Poulenc, Britten, Tippett, Tavener, MacMillan and Frank Martin. It has produced five volumes of The Eton Choirbook (1991-1995) and nine volumes dedicated to Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (2011-2023). In 2001, The Sixteen set up its own Coro label for new productions and reissues of major discs from its catalog of some 200 titles. Collaborators include singers Mark Padmore, Eammon Dougan, Carolyn Sampson, Sophie Daneman and Catherine Wyn-Rogers.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Salve Regina by The Sixteen
- Vigilate by The Sixteen
- When David Heard by The Sixteen
- Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 : I will sing unto the Lord by The Sixteen
- Samson, HWV 57: Then round about the starry throne by The Sixteen
- Alexander's Feast, HWV 75: The many rend the skies with loud applause (I) by The Sixteen
- Saul, HWV 53: Gird on thy sword, thou man of might (Chorus of Israelites) by The Sixteen
- Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 : He gave them hailstones for rain by The Sixteen
- The Fairy Queen, Z. 629, Act 3, Third Act Tune: Hornpipe by The Sixteen
- The Fairy Queen, Z. 629, Act 4: Symphony by The Sixteen
- Samson, HWV 57: With thunder arm'd, great God, arise (Chorus of Israelites) by The Sixteen
- The Fairy Queen, Z. 629, Act 3: Dance for the Fairies by The Sixteen
- Jephtha, HWV 70: O God, behold our sore distress by The Sixteen
- Veni Emmanuel by Gavyn Wright
- Israel in Egypt, HWV 54 : He smote all the first-born of Egypt by The Sixteen
- The Fairy Queen, Z. 629, Act 4: Entry of Phoebus by The Sixteen
- Saul, HWV 53: How excellent Thy name (Chorus of Israelites) by The Sixteen
- The Fairy Queen, Z. 629, Act 3: Symphony While the Swans Come Forward by The Sixteen
- Messiah, HWV 56: And He shall purify by The Sixteen
- The Indian Queen, Z. 630, Act II: Symphony by The Sixteen
- Samson, HWV 57: Hear, Jacob's God, Jehova, hear! by The Sixteen
- Jephtha, HWV 70: Ye house of Gilead, with one voice by The Sixteen
- Messiah, HWV 56: Hallelujah! by The Sixteen
- The Fairy Queen, Z. 629, Act 2: Dance for the Followers of Night by The Sixteen
