“a heady mix of gloriously rich polyphony and manic, earthy villancicos. Skidmore has mined a rich vein of hitherto undiscovered music … exhilaratingly uninhibited” (BBC Music Magazine)

Singers, harp, guitar, bajón, strings, winds and percussion revel in this colourful music sung in Latin, Spanish, Nahuatl and Quechuan – the languages of the Aztecs and Incas – as we explore this glorious fusion of musical styles from Africa, the Americas and Europe.

The iconic Inca hymn Hanac pachap cussicuinin, the oldest printed polyphony in the Americas, punctuates a grand tour from Mexico to the Amazonian jungle, Brazil and Bolivia - where Juan de Araujo, probably the greatest composer of the age, worked for the last 30 years of his life.

Running time is approx. 2 hours including interval.

Programme includes:
Anon Hanac pachap cussicuinin
Araujo ¡Ay, andar! - Los coflades - Silencio
Hernandez Sancta Maria é!
Nunes Garcia Missa pastoril (excerpts)
Salazar ¡Salga el torillo hosquillo!
Zéspedes Convidando esta la noche
Zipoli Missa San Ignacio (excerpts)

EX CATHEDRA Choir & Baroque Ensemble
Jeffrey Skidmore conductor

With grateful thanks to Graham & Vivien Mackenzie, John Osborn and the Continuo Foundation for supporting this project.