The Magnificat is one of the great Latin hymns of the Catholic Church and has inspired some of music’s finest sacred writing. In this performance of Renaissance and Baroque Magnificats we present Bach’s famous setting for orchestra, soloists and choir, Lassus’s mighty six part work on the themes of Josquin des Prez’s magnificent motet Praeter Rerum Seriem, and Monteverdi’s little-performed ‘alternate’ Magnificat setting from the 1610 Vespers, a stunning work for six part choir, virtuoso vocal soloists and chamber organ.
