Anyone anticipating a po-voiced evening of motets, madrigals and other liturgical settings from Collegium Regale, the choral scholars of King's College, Cambridge and members of the world-famous King's choir, in their Kingston concert on Monday was in for a surprise.
Fine and polished as their first set of Tallis, Byrd, Weelkes and fellow 16th century English composers was, it did not prepare the ear for the sheer vocal virtuosity and inventive technique of the selections that followed, ranging from spirituals, folk songs and calypso to Eric Clapton and The Beatles.
Four of the seven choristers were former choristers at the church and, waiving their usual fee, this was their voluntary contribution to its £2.5 million restoration appeal.
The large audience revelled in their vocal dynamics and refinement in arrangements that inflected some of the more familiar titles with a freshening tonal novelty and frequent humour.
The rigorous King's College training disciplines could not have been demonstrated more convincingly.
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