Palestrina is the most consummate of renaissance composers; from his time to ours he has come to represent an entire epoch of music, and to influence some of the greatest names from later centuries – among them Handel and Beethoven. Tonight, the Tallis Scholars showcase an outstanding mass setting, including one or two of his greatest motets.

They also offer a fascinating and profound comparison with the music of Pärt, one of the most performed living composers in the world. Pärt is well known for his own sublime choral settings, and although he doesn’t write polyphony like Palestrina exemplified, the atmosphere he can create in his music sits well alongside that of the renaissance master.