The choir of Hereford Cathedral will sing John Browne’s rarely performed motet Stabat mater from the historic Eton Choirbook (c 1490-1502) at Evensong on Saturday 19 March at 5.30 pm.

This forthcoming performance was recently profiled on BBC Radio 3's In Tune. 'The broadcast was a welcome opportunity to talk about the choir at Hereford,' said Geraint Bowen, the cathedral's director of music, 'and particularly our performance of Browne’s motet.'

'It will be a rare opportunity to hear this dramatic and sumptuous late-fifteenth century work of unaccompanied polyphonic music,' said Geraint. 'It's great to be able to put the piece in context for the choristers by telling them that the piece was composed around the same time as the cloisters were built here, in which we have the song school. It is a wonderful experience for them.'

John Browne was an outstanding composer of the period and his six-part Stabat mater, which was written not long before Henry VIII came to the throne, is one of Browne's finest and most expressive works. It is composed in a florid style and offers a glorious example of the final flowering of English polyphonic music that was swept away by the Reformation.

The choir’s performance of Stabat mater is one among a number of special musical events in the next few months, along with a performance of Bach's St Matthew Passion (Tuesday 19 April at 7.00 pm) and an orchestral Eucharist using Haydn's Harmoniemesse (Sunday 8 May at 10.30 am). Evensong continues to be sung daily by the cathedral choir at 5.30 pm during term time (with the exception of Wednesdays) and at 3.30 pm on Sundays, to which everyone is welcome.

For further information about special services, the St Matthew Passion and opportunities for joining the choir, please contact in the first instance the Perpetual Trust office (01432) 374261, or visit the Music pages on this website.