Early instruments combine for Christmas concert

THE sound of sackbuts, shawms, crumhorns and hurdy gurdies has signalled the start of Christmas at the impressive Holy Trinity Church, Wentworth, near Rotherham, since the start of the century.

Now the band that specialises in these and many other ancient instruments returns again for an annual festive concert that has become a local tradition.

The York Waits perform at the church on Friday, December 17 (7.30pm). Joined as usual by soprano singer Deborah Catterall, the group will use its enormous array of instruments to perform Christmas music and song from the medieval and Renaissance periods.

“The York Waits have been performing early music on early instruments since the mid-1970s,” says band member Tim Bayley.

“But Wentworth Church has become one of our longest standing annual venues. Playing there at Christmas has become a tradition in itself, for us and for many of the regular audience members. It is a very atmospheric place with a great acoustic. No wonder it has been used as a recording venue, by us and other groups, “ he added.

The Waits recreate the city band of York as it was in Tudor times, and play most of the wind and stringed instruments of that period. The band has released nine CDs, the most recent being music from the reign of Henry VIII. Its Christmas CD “Yule Riding” was recorded at Wentworth Church.

For more details, contract 01709 527713 or visit www.theyorkwaits.org.uk

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