THE ORLANDO CONSORT AND THE TOUGALOO COLLEGE CONCERT CHOIR AT WOODWORTH
CHAPEL, NOVEMBER 19, 2003

   The Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music and Tougaloo
College presented the Orlando Consort in collaboration
with the Tougaloo College Concert Choir in a program
on November 18, 2003 at the hisoric Woodworth Chapel
on the Tougaloo campus. The program's title, "The
Anonymous Monk," refers to a certain English monk who
wrote an account of his journey from Suffolk county to
Paris, France around the year 1275. On this evening
the Orlando Consort shared in word and music a
hypothetical journey of the same monk, 
"Anonymous IV" by scholars, to a cathedral in Wales.

At the opening of the concert the Tougaloo Choir,
accompanied by a soloist from the Consort, processed
into the comfortably full chapel and chanted
responsorially as they passed down the main aisle.
This had the feeling of a special night already! At
the conclusion of the opening chant Angus Smith, one
of the two tenor soloists, began reading from the
fictitious story mentioned previously. Monophonic
chants sung by the choir and polyphonic pieces from
12th and 13th century sources from England and the
Notre Dame school in Paris were sung by the Orlando
Consort. These would alternate with additional
readings until there was an elaborate tapestry of
"musical yarn" woven into a wonderful evening of pure
entertainment!

   As was the case when the Orlando Consort came to
Jackson this past spring season, the intonation,
articulation, blending of voices and penchant for as
authentic as possible performances made for an almost
flawless concert.  One of the evening's highlights
came just before intermission when the men of the
Concert Choir sang an English song, "Edi beo thu,"
which was followed by a four-voice polyphonic
composition from Notre Dame sung by the Consort.

It is always refreshing to hear music from the Gothic
period since it sounds so very different from what we
traditionally listen to. Also, much of what tours
around Europe and America in the sphere of early music
are individuals and groups that perform repertoire
from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.
Consequently, performances of medieval music are the
exception, not the rule.  Thank you, Orlando Consort, 
for providing a quick but exciting glimpse into a
strange and wonderful time hundreds of years ago!

                                    Frank T. Laney