Cantabile

Cantabile (pronounced Can - TAH - bih - lay - an Italian musical term meaning 'in singing style') are quite simply one of the world's top vocal groups. Outstanding in both Comedy and the Classics, they have been delighting audiences for the last twenty-one years with their amazing range of programmes from a cappella favourites to the sacred music of the last millennium - supported by thirteen solo albums, over 2,000 live performances and more than 200 TV appearances worldwide. Musicals in London's West End, Galas aboard Queen Elizabeth 2, Concerts in New York's Carnegie Hall, Opera in the Covent Garden Festival, Jazz with the BBC Big Band, Classical Parodies in front of 40,000 people at the BBC Proms in the Park or customised Cabarets for corporate clients - the Cantabile experience draws gasps of admiration wherever it goes.

CANTABILE was founded in Cambridge as a purely a cappella student group and first came to prominence in the Tim Rice musical Blondel in London's West End. Since then, they have pursued a policy of constant and dynamic renewal, pushing back musical frontiers, exploring ever-new territories and attracting a substantial following right across the musical spectrum, both in Europe and further afield.

In the United Kingdom Cantabile have appeared in a huge variety of venues, singing programmes encompassing early polyphony through to jazz and contemporary music. Overseas, they have toured extensively - from the United States to South Africa to Southeast Asia. They make frequent visits to Europe, appearing in theatres and arts festivals, as well as guesting with a range of established bands and orchestras. They find themselves most often in the German-speaking territories, where their appearances have included a sell-out run at Berlin's premier cabaret theatre, Bar jeder Vernunft, and a special programme during the Salzburg Festival, 2000.

Cantabile have made countless television appearances, embracing all five terrestrial TV channels in the UK. They have had several radio series of their own, including a celebration of great American songwriters with the BBC Big Band. Cantabile's schedule in 2002 has been full and rewarding. Early in the year they made a round-the-world trip which took them via Los Angeles to Honolulu, where they joined the liner Queen Elizabeth 2 for a headline cabaret performance. They also visited Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia and Bali. Shortly afterwards they made their dŽbut in Canada, where they received the 'Voix des Pairs' award at Le Rideau festival in Quebec City. They have appeared in France, Germany, Austria, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland, where their performances included four concerts at Expo '02. In May they appeared for the first time in Russia, at the International Festival of Arts in Moscow; in June they were invited to sing at Buckingham Palace as part of the weekend of music celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Cantabile Press

"Outstanding" The Evening Standard
"These a cappella fellas are fun" The Observer
"A marked flair for sophisticated comedy" The London Times
"Their music is a delight, their sense of humour irresistible"Die Welt
"Presented with infectious enthusiasm and superb technical command" The New York Times
"Splendidly Versatile" The Sunday Times
"Highly sophisticated and full of humour" The Guardian

In Cambridge

Recorded live in - you guessed it - in Cambridge, this male quintet is a stylistic whisper away from the King's Singers, both in terms of sound and choice of material, though the influence of the Swingles can be felt as well ("The History of Western Music"). The selections on this CD encompass several centuries, beginning with William Byrd's "Deo Gratias." Embracing the British folk ballad (Morley and Henry the VIII), and the European classical form (Chopin), the group then travels forward in time to include period classics such as "Sentimental Journey" and "The Lambeth Walk," finishing up with the wholly appropos doo wop closer, "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight."

6481 CD $14.98

For More of The Primarily A Cappella On-Line Catalog

RSS - New Releases

Site Map | A Cappella News | Regional Newsgroups | RSS a cappella feeds

To find a specific song on any recording (or to find recordings by group name or CD title),
pick the search method and type the item you are searching for here: