High praise for Londinium's concerts in Belgium

"Free does exist. And free is not always synonymous with inferior. The opposite was proven by the concert that filled the Sint-Janskerk in Mechelen on Saturday evening... Just enough male voices to ensure that harmonic basis. Just enough female voices to do justice to the wealth of polyphony and ethereal heights, so typical of British choirs.

The choir has been around for almost twenty years. Their passion and expertise are evident. For their first visit to Belgium, they brought a varied programme, full of surprising music by British composers from the 17th century to the present, via Elgar, Stanford and Vaughan Williams. A nice touch was their choice of the four-part nostalgic “Lief, begenheef mij niet” by Pierre de la Rue, who was employed for a while by the art-loving Margaret of Austria. Of course in Dutch, which was extra appreciated."

Arlette Hellemans, Classiek Centraal (July 2025)
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"On Sunday afternoon, July 6, a special event took place in the impressive St. James' Church in Antwerp … What was particularly striking was the effortless transition between the different musical styles: whether it was a madrigal from the Renaissance or a contemporary piece from 2024, everything was performed with unprecedented precision. It is therefore no exaggeration to count Londinium as one of the best amateur choirs I have ever heard. ...

The concert began with a gem from the English Renaissance: Hosanna to the Son of David by Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625). The choir gave the piece a festive, almost joyful atmosphere, without losing sight of the tranquility that the words “Peace in heaven” evoke. The choir succeeded in finding a delicate balance between religious serenity and musical intensity. The tone was immediately set and it was clear to everyone: this afternoon was going to be something special. ...

He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven by Howard Skempton (1947) was an impressive example of contemporary English choral music. The work weaves a delicate sound world, imbued with emotional intimacy, while the lived-in performance allowed the choir to let the deeper layers of WB Yeats' text shine.

We were then taken into the dreamy atmosphere of Lief, begeheet mij niet by Pierre de la Rue (ca. 1452-1518), a work from the early Renaissance. This work by de la Rue, composer at the Mechelen court of Margaret of Austria, was sung by the choir in Middle Dutch, with the harmonies performed with absolute precision. The pain and joy of love were beautifully expressed. Since the choir had performed in Mechelen the day before, this was a beautiful tribute to a great composer from our region. ...

The concert reached another high point with Here Hum the Bees by Cecilia McDowall (°1951). This fascinating work brought the humming of bees to life, almost allowing you to empathize with their busy activities. After this piece, you will never look at bees in the same way again. It was music that illuminated the everyday in a surprising way and vividly depicted the power of cooperation – both of the bees and of the choir. The choir once again proved its strength, but perhaps the best wine was saved for the end of the banquet?

Valiant for Truth, composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) to a text by the 17th century writer John Bunyan, touched the heart... The choir sang this piece from 1940 (!) with impressive intensity, with every note perfectly translating the serene determination of the text. The singers managed to capture the deep, contemplative atmosphere of the work, while at the same time emphasizing the joy and calm of the ultimate surrender to death. This work gained its special depth from the symbolism in the text, in which the trumpets were the sign of the welcome in heaven – an element that the choir interpreted in an inimitable way. Although the trumpets were not physically present, their 'call' in the music was so strikingly conveyed by the structure of the choral parts that it seemed as if you were actually hearing them. This moment was one of the most moving of the concert, with the musical lines and the emotional charge weaving together perfectly. It was a powerful and poetic farewell, a musical reflection on the ultimate surrender to the higher. ...

At the very first note of the heavenly Beati quorum via by Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924), the sun suddenly broke through the clouds, and the church interior was filled with radiant light. The symbolism could not have been more striking. Stanford, a master at combining English Romanticism with liturgical splendor, had captured a moment of pure transcendence in this work. As the first notes of the choir rose, it seemed as if the light wove itself into the music itself, a visual and musical symphony that amplified the spiritual charge of the moment. It was a moment in which the music not only filled the space, but seemed to embrace the soul. It was as if the joy of a righteous life were miraculously underscored by nature itself.

And how can such a majestic moment be musically surpassed? Faire is the Heaven by William Henry Harris (1883-1973) completed the concert in an equally breathtaking and natural way. Harris, a master in combining English choral music with deeply religious expression, took the listeners to new heights of musical sublimity. The choir found the perfect balance between grandeur and narrative depth, with every note radiating a sense of both intimacy and sublimity. The rich harmonies created an almost heavenly atmosphere, while the words How then can mortal tongue hope to express the image of such endless perfectness reminded the listener once again of the unspeakable grandeur of the heavenly. It was as if the sunbeams that filled the church interior were doubling their light through the music itself, which spread like a warm blanket over the entire space and the listeners.

Finally, as an unexpected surprise, Hear My Heart Sing by Bernard Hughes (1974) followed, a reflection on the hecticness and madness of our existence. In this work from 2024, the choir showed its full potential, which made the conclusion of this concert a non-obvious, but extremely impressive climax.

Londinium displayed a brilliant clarity throughout the concert, with a silky sound in the upper registers that floated through the Gothic space like an ethereal breeze. The voices seamlessly blended into a harmonious whole, with Griffiths’ unmistakable control over his ensemble immediately apparent. His conducting style, characterised by precision and a keen sense of nuance, led the choir to an exceptional performance. His musical acumen ensured that Londinium moved effortlessly through the many layers of harmonies, always with a clear focus on the music itself.

Londinium's Belgian debut will undoubtedly remain in the memories of those present. It was a magnificent tribute to the English choral tradition, full of emotion, technique and an exploration of that rich repertoire. The choir not only proved why it has built such a strong reputation in London, but also why it continues to win over new generations of music fans: through its constant search for refinement, its openness to new music and its deep respect for the past. We are therefore eagerly awaiting their next performance in Belgium!”

Werner De Smet, Classiek Centraal (July 2025)
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Read both reviews in the English translations.