Pre-Concert Lecture 6:30 pm
During the 16th century, readings from the Lamentations of Jeremiah held a significant place in the Night Offices of Holy Week in the Roman Catholic Church. In Reformation England, these texts experienced a revival of interest, particularly among the underground Catholic community. Amid the religious upheaval of the Anglican Reformation, when these readings lacked an official liturgical context, settings of Jeremiah’s texts were frequently performed in private homes. Notable composers of the Late Tudor period crafted musical interpretations of these texts, including works by Thomas Tallis (circa 1505-1585), Robert White (1538-1574), and Alfonso Ferrabosco the Elder (1543-1588), who served as a composer to Elizabeth I and possibly her spy.
