Music for the Hours

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Music for the Hours: Divine Office: Matins

The Divine Hours

Divine Office: Matins

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The Canonical Hours throughout the day: Matins

The Canonical Hours through the day, based on monastic traditions of old, starting with the night-time service of Matins.

The Office of Matins

Introduced by Peter Phillips

As part of Radio 3’s “Capturing Twilight” season, throughout the day the Tallis Scholars, world renowned for their exquisitely pure tone and shimmering choral sounds, evoke the ancient Christian tradition of the Divine Office.  Starting just as the clocks change back to Greenwich Mean Time at 1am, they sing settings of words and psalms associated with each of the eight offices, or Canonical Hours, across the day.  This daily ritual of Christian devotion was created in the 6th century by St Benedict, and remains familiar in monasteries and convents around the world today.  The Tallis Scholars director Peter Philips introduces each of the offices at roughly three-hour intervals, beginning with Matins, then Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and ending with Compline, reflecting the time of the day with Latin chant interspersed with polyphony from across the centuries. Music includes chant melodies by Hildegard of Bingen, settings of prayers, motets and canticles by Renaissance composers such as Thomas Tallis, Orlande de Lassus, John Sheppard and John Taverner, sitting alongside more recent works by Arvo Pärt, John Tavener, and Igor Stravinksy. 

Producer: Helen Garrison

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The Tallis Scholars evoke the ancient Christian tradition of the Divine Office.

The Tallis Scholars evoke the ancient Christian tradition of the Divine Office, singing settings of words and psalms associated with each of the eight offices, or Canonical Hours.

As part of Radio 3's 'Capturing Twilight' season, throughout the day the Tallis Scholars, world renowned for their exquisitely pure tone and shimmering choral sounds, evoke the ancient Christian tradition of the Divine Office. Starting just as the clocks change back to Greenwich Mean Time at 1am, they sing settings of words and psalms associated with each of the eight offices, or Canonical Hours, across the day. This daily ritual of Christian devotion was created in the 6th century by St Benedict and remains familiar in monasteries and convents around the world today. The Tallis Scholars' director Peter Philips introduces each of the offices at roughly three-hour intervals, beginning with Matins, then Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and ending with Compline, reflecting the time of the day with Latin chant interspersed with polyphony from across the centuries.

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