The Kings of Singers
The King’s Singers
ALL BY THEMSELVES, The King’s Singers provided a large measure of diversity in their Tuesday evening concert at Gaillard Auditorium for the Charleston Concert Association’s season finale. Their reputation, from over 100 albums to their TV appearances, must have preceded them, as the hall was as close to full as I have seen it this year.
The six men, who always sing a capella (without accompaniment), pour forth astonishing sounds, providing their own accompaniment, particularly in arrangements like the opening “Poor Roger” where both musical lines and voices are in highly complex syncopated rhythms. English composer Steve Martland, whose compositions are based on traditional street rhymes as sung by children throughout the ages in the British Isles, was featured twice more during the first half.
Woven in between was English music from two periods, the mid-16th century, here represented by “Pastime with good company” by none other than Henry VIII as well as several other “ditties,” and the madrigal form first developed in Italy. The earlier English part songs, with their simpler homophonic harmony, had the group charming the audience with compositions celebrating “the pleasure of five usual recreations: hunting, hawking, dancing, drinking, and enamoring.” Just a bit of patter from each one of the singers at various times not only spurred our interest, but kept us chuckling.
Now, how in the world did six men standing behind music stands singing with not so much as a fiddle entertain us so royally? The harmonies, tonalities, rhythmic impossibilities, and stagecraft of the group is unmatched. While texts and translations were provided in the comprehensive program, most were not needed as “It’s all about the enunciation (diction)” said Philip Lawson, baritone, during an interview that happened to be broadcast Monday morning on WSCI’s daily classical music program from American Public Media.
During that interview, all the singers agreed they are equal partners—each must sacrifice “individual voice ego to become one.” They would have to be willing to do so, as during that broadcast and especially seeing and hearing them live in concert, the respect they show for the music and for each other is clear.
Two countertenors, David Hurley and Timothy Wayne-Wright, are the high voices you may have wondered about. The vocal range is that of a soprano, but with a pure tone that, if you listen to enough recordings and attend enough concerts that include these phenoms, is easily distinguished from that of a female or boy soprano. It is closer to the sound of young boys—until they turn 12 or 13. Countertenors are highly trained in special techniques, but so are all The King’s Singers, each involved in musical studies from an early age and having graduated from some of the most prestigious universities in England, renowned for their musical credentials. The Singers also have an impressive 40-year history themselves. The newest member, bass Jonathan Howard, just in the last few months replaced a bass who had sung with the group for 22 years.
Tenor Paul Phoenix and baritone Christopher Gabbitas had their time to shine after the “interval,” featured in solos as the group presented a selection of close harmony pieces, from folk songs and spirituals to contemporary pop. Welcomed back with shouts and whistles, they performed from memory in this set, first with a song that celebrated trains—with sound effects that boggled the mind, created by—yes—just them. The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby” drew wild applause, but the singers had yet other surprises, including “Down to the River to Pray” and arrangements of numbers made popular by Nat King Cole, Henry Connick Jr., and closing with Michael Buble’s “Home.”
The continuing applause brought them back for two encores, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and a lilting, lyrical arrangement that combined Hoagy Carmichael’s “Lazy Bones” and “Up a Lazy River”—after which they all fell asleep.
This is one of the very few groups that uses no mics, nor needs them. Both the ensemble and the audience hope it will not be another four years before The King’s Singers—the best male a capella group in the world—return to Charleston.
