Classical review: The King’s Singers, Haddington

Dressed in identical grey suits, with ties of purple, pink, yellow, red, scarlet and pale grey, the King’s Singers stepped on to the stage at this year’s Lammermuir Festival.

The King's Singers

The King’s Singers - St Mary’s Church, Haddington

* * * *

I say this not because it matters what these superb vocalists were wearing, but because their attire so perfectly sums up their musical output: a unified, harmonious whole with flashes of pure individuality.

Almost 50 years after the original King’s Singers formed at Cambridge University, this six-man group is still going strong – albeit with a completely different line-up. Their mission in 1965 – to perform a broad repertory – lives on, too, with last night’s programme ranging from deeply religious 16th century madrigals to a whimsical courtship song delivered beneath a young lady’s balcony.

The first half switched back and forth between works by Gesualdo and Poulenc, written 350 years apart, but bridged seamlessly by the singers.

In the beautiful surroundings of St Mary’s, the passionate faith conveyed by both composers couldn’t have been more appropriate.

For my money, this is the King’s Singers at their strongest, but as the company well knows, not everyone likes it dark and the second half turned the dimmer switch up a notch or two.

Two works by Brahms, one by Mendelssohn and three by Saint-Säens celebrated the themes of night time and nature, while Arthur Sullivan (pre-Gilbert) took a not-too-heavy look at death.

But it was the encore that cemented the King’s Singers’ place in our hearts – a rich, warm version of My Love is Like a Red Red Rose, especially for their Scottish fans.