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Cantoría at the York Early Music Festival

An exploration of early music, looking at early developments in musical performance and composition in Britain and abroad.

Hannah French presents a concert given by the young Spanish early music ensemble Cantoría at the recent York Festival of Early Music.

The joy and optimism of Spanish popular music is blended with the mysticism and devotion of jácaras and villancicos in the Spanish Baroque. Cantoría is an ensemble of vocalists and violinists, who bring these fascinating 17th-century works to life. Known as villancicos, the pieces are full of colour, syncopation, humour, and biblical stories, once used by bishops to draw the faithful to Mass, ensuring they left the churches with a smile.

Release date:

59 minutes

Broadcast

  • Sun 20 Jul 2025 17:00

Podcast