Twelve wonders of Christmas in vivid splendour

THERE'S not a lot of good news around at the moment, so it’s good to be reminded of at least one thing that this country does better than anyone else.

- By WILLIAM RUFF

And that is to produce professional chamber choirs of exceptional quality. Tenebrae is one of the best of the best - and to hear them in the high-definition acoustics of the Royal Concert Hall allowed listeners to reach deep inside the sound they make.

It’s true that the RCH can’t compete with cathedrals in terms of atmospheric resonance, flickering candles and honey-coloured pillars, but the very plainness of the concert platform and its stark, black curtain allow full concentration on the words, music and the uncanny precision of Tenebrae’s performance.

The pieces chosen for their In Winter's House programme shy away from the grandly dramatic, instead focusing on the season’s more inward, more intimate side - its stillness, tenderness and fragility.