"This is more than the art of singing, this is a way of life" - wrote the Hamburger Abendblatt (€) on our Purcell Pageant following our performances on 26 October at the Laeiszhalle. We are immensely grateful we made it to Hamburg during this difficult time, and just before Germany announced stricter regulations affecting concert halls, which have to remain closed for the whole month of November.

​It was truly wonderful to be back on stage together and we like to thank our promoter for making this possible. The good news is that our performance was part of the early music series 'Das Alte Werk', meaning it was recorded by the NDR Radio for deferred broadcast. 

This is the fitting encore by which we thanked our audiences at the Laeiszhalle: Telemann's 1762 Hamburg setting of Luther's 'Mitten wir im Leben sind mit dem Tod umfangen' (In the midst of life we are in death).

In October, we firmly hope to get back on track for our debut at the Laeiszhalle in Hamburg on Monday 26th. We’re keen to take Hamburg audiences into the fantasy world of Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' with its fairies and sleepy lovers by presenting highlights from Purcell's Fairy Queen. We'll also perform extracts from King Arthur and other, lesser-known vocal gems from Purcell's secular output. All in a subtly dramatised concert under the expert guidance of Globe Theatre director, Federay Holmes. This concert is part of the famous early music series Das Alte Werk and is intended to be recorded for deferred broadcast by NDR Radio (Norddeutsche Rundfunk).

In anticipation of our Hamburg debut, Jonathan Sells has been chatting to the head of programming for the series, Cathérine Dörücü:

In aid of Help Musicians UK, we recorded an uplifting aria for Bitesize Proms: Blast die wohlgegriffen
Flöten' (Blow the well-gripped flutes).  The aria featuring the Roman goddess of War - Bellona - is part of Bach's cantata 'Tönet, ihr Pauken! Erschallet, Trompeten!' BWV 214 from our programme Not the Christmas Oratorio, which has been postponed to next year.

Bellona incites the martial flutes to a joyous celebration: "this festival demands rejoicing that feeds both spirit and mind" - something to truly take our minds off current circumstances. 

Stay tuned on our YouTube Channel for insights from various  members of our collective.

​From our respective homes, we’ve been working on something; the setting of Luther’s chorale ‘Mitten wir im Leben sind’ appears like an oasis in the middle of Telemann’s rarely-performed late masterpiece, the cantata Dich rühmen die Welten for St Michael and All Angels 1762.

We would have sung this chorale on 13 March with Les Passions de l'Ame in Bern, but the concert was cancelled on the day. Instead, we’ve now chosen to perform it a capella (as we would have done in concert) from our homes, to reflect human vulnerability and helplessness in the face of death, which leads many to turn to spirituality.

“It was like a light went on in my head” - we caught up with soprano Zoë Brookshaw to reflect on being part of the SK collective. 

​ ​Look out for more clips in our #SKunlocked series over the next period 

As we are revisiting Bach's St John Passion BWV245 (1725 version) for Holy Week, Artistic Director Jonathan Sells reflects on Passion and themes of sacrifice, compassion and love in the tide of corona:

"It is particularly poignant to reflect on the themes of Passion-tide under the current circumstances.  Believers and non-believers alike can find inspiration in the extraordinary story of Jesus' trial, crucifixion and death. "

Read his full reflection HERE
​

We performed the St John Passion last year at Wigmore Hall and would like to share Scene I from our performance at the Bachfest in Leipzig in June last year. By subscribing to our YouTube channel, you'll get notified of new clips we will release throughout Holy Week.

For our next performances, we're delighted to return to Bern to collaborate again with our friends of the early music ensemble Les Passions de l'Ame, led by violinist Meret Lüthi,  for an all Telemann programme. In Die Donner-Ode Telemann set the Psalm of David to music in a festive, extrovert way with a prominent role for the timpani, symbolising thunder, as the title suggest. This extremely popular vocal work by Telemann consists of two parts, which will be combined with two of his late sacred works.

Concerts take place at Les Passions de l'Ame's home town Bern on 13 March, and at the Telemannfesttage in Magdeburg, Germany on 15 March.

"The close connection, the special atmosphere that is created with the audience, was also well transferred to CD by the musicians in this live-recording [...]. You can hear how each of the individual members of the collective identify with their own interpretation, which ensures a great musical experience. Seasonal Baroque from Leipzig, music which you can confidently enjoy even in the days after Christmas!" - commented Michael Gmasz on Radio Klassik, Vienna 


“there’s a real sense of do or die, they’re right on the edge of their seats...a beautifully-conceived programme...one of my favourites” - commented Alexandra Coghlan on BBC Radio 3 Record Review

“if those pounding drum beats and bright trumpets don't set your heart racing, you've no soul. [...] Playing and singing are stellar throughout the disc, the live recording thrillingly immediate.” - Review by Graham Rickson for The Arts Desk

 
“Bach’s Magnificat [..] from the lean, sprightly forces of Solomon’s Knot [is] highly recommended” - Review by Fiona Maddocks for The Observer

 
“This recording is a delight, and well represents Solomon’s Knot particularly individual style of live performance.” - Blog Andrew Benson Wilson