Gothic Voices

Gothic Voices is a United Kingdom-based vocal ensemble specialising in repertoire from the 11th to the 15th century but also performing contemporary music, particularly pieces with medieval associations. The group was originally formed in 1980 by the scholar and musician Christopher Page. Gothic Voices has gone on to record 23 albums for the Hyperion and Avie record labels, three of which have won the prestigious Gramophone Award given by The Gramophone magazine. The group's first disc, A Feather on the Breath of God – Hymns and Sequences by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen remains one of the best-selling recordings of pre-classical music ever made. Gothic Voices most recent recordings are a disc of the complete works of the relatively obscure 14th-century composer Solage coupled with works by Machaut and a disc entitled A Laurel for Landini - 14th Century Italy’s Greatest Composer, with music by Francesco Landini. As well as performing medieval repertoire, Gothic Voices also commissions contemporary works for its unusual vocal forces, with recent performances of works by Joanne Metcalf and Andrew Smith. Following the retirement of Leigh Nixon in September 2014, the current singers in Gothic Voices are Catherine King (mezzo-soprano), Steven Harrold (tenor), Julian Podger (tenor) and Stephen Charlesworth (baritone), a line-up which has been consistent since 1995. Other notable singers who have performed and recorded with Gothic Voices include Emma Kirkby, Emily Van Evera, Margaret Philpot, Evelyn Tubb, Howard Milner, Charles Daniels, Rogers Covey-Crump, James Gilchrist, Paul Agnew, John Mark Ainsley and Peter Harvey.