Nigel Short
Versatile countertenor and conductor Nigel Short is best known as the artistic director and founder of the a cappella chamber choir Tenebrae. Short launched his career as a soloist in opera and oratorio, while also singing in various choirs, including the Tallis Scholars and the King's Singers.
Short was born in Solihull, England, on August 16, 1965. As a youth, he sang as a chorister at Solihull Parish Church and later enrolled at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied voice and piano. Short developed an interest in sacred music, from pre-Renaissance to modern, and following his time at the Royal College, performed with several choral ensembles, including the choirs of Westminster Abbey and Cathedral, the Tallis Scholars, and the King's Consort. He later began appearing in oratorios and operas, including with Opera North and the English National Opera. In 1994, he joined the King's Singers, where he made a number of highly successful performances and recordings. Among these recordings are Nightsong, Renaissance, and Circle of Life, for which the group received a Grammy nomination. He remained with the King's Singers until 2000.
During his time with the King's Singers, Short envisioned forming a larger group to perform sacred music from the Renaissance to the 21st century. In 2001, Short and Barbara Pollock founded Tenebrae; Short has served as the artistic director since its founding. Tenebrae's premiere featured Short's composition The Dream of Herod (2002), for baritone, organ, and choir. The work was issued in 2003 by Signum, along with Christmas and traditional songs, and works by Peter Wishart, Howells, Gruber, and others. The group's repertoire encompasses sacred music from Hildegard von Bingen to John Tavener, traditional and Christmas songs, as well as music for chorus and orchestra by Mozart, Berlioz, Poulenc, and others. In such repertory, Short and Tenebrae have performed and recorded with ensembles including the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and the London Symphony Orchestra. Short commissioned composer Joby Talbot to write Path of Miracles, which Tenebrae premiered with great success in 2005. He has taken the ensemble on tour throughout Europe and the U.S.
Throughout his career, Short has recorded for many labels, including EMI, RCA, LSO Live, Signum, and Warner Classics. Together, Short and Tenebrae have recorded over 30 albums. Among these are What Sweeter Music: Songs & Carols for Christmas from 2009, Music of the Spheres from 2016, which earned a 2017 Grammy nomination, and in 2018, A Walk with Ivor Gurney.
© Keith Finke & Robert Cummings /TiVo
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Fauré: Requiem
Nigel Short, Tenebrae, London Symphony Orchestra Chamber Ensemble, William Gaunt, Gordan Nikolitch, Grace Davidson
Classical - Released by LSO Live on 5 Nov 2012
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Bach & Macmillan: Motets and Sacred Songs (Live)
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 6 Oct 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Joby Talbot: Path of Miracles / Owain Park: Footsteps
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 15 Aug 2006
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When Sleep Comes: Evening Meditations for Voices & Saxophone
Tenebrae, Christian Forshaw, Nigel Short
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 8 Apr 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
The First Noel (Arr. Gregson for Solo Cello, Choir and Strings)
Peter Gregson, Tenebrae, Nigel Short
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on 3 Nov 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
In Winter's House
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 26 Aug 2022
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A Very English Christmas
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 31 Jul 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Music of the Spheres: Part Songs of the British Isles
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 30 Sep 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
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Path of Miracles - Joby Talbot
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 8 May 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Symphonic Psalms & Prayers
Tenebrae, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Nigel Short
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 2 Feb 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tomás Luis De Victoria: Tenebrae Responsories
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 2 Sep 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Fauré: Requiem
Nigel Short, Tenebrae, London Symphony Orchestra Chamber Ensemble
Masses, Passions, Requiems - Released by LSO Live on 5 Nov 2012
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Komm, Jesu, komm, BWV 229 (Live)
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 23 Aug 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Aksel ! (Arias by Bach, Handel & Mozart)
Aksel Rykkvin, Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment, Nigel Short
Vocal Music (Secular and Sacred) - Released by Signum Records on 1 Sep 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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MacMillan: Miserere (Radio Edit) [Live]
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 6 Sep 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
In The Bleak Midwinter
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 1 Dec 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Gesualdo, Victoria : Music for Holy Saturday
Classical - Released by Archiv Produktion on 1 Jan 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Singet dem Herrn, BWV 225 (Radio Edit)
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 20 Sep 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
A Walk with Ivor Gurney
Tenebrae, Aurora Orchestra, Nigel Short
Classical - Released by Signum Records on 19 Oct 2018
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo