Past Events
Polyphony at the George & Dragon, Quainton
A monthly(ish) evening of singing Renaissance and Baroque polyphony in a Buckinghamshire village pub on a Monday night. No conductor, no auditions, no accompaniment - just singers, scores, and whatever you want to drink.
We read through ten or so pieces together, twice each. Confirmed singers receive the parts a week before. All voice parts welcome. Free to attend.
I'm Alex. I used to sing in choirs. Then I had a child, and suddenly a weekly rehearsal commitment felt like planning an expedition. Beer & Byrd started as a selfish solution to a simple problem: I wanted to sing Renaissance polyphony, I wanted a pint, and I wanted to be home before it got too late.
I am very lucky to live close to the George and Dragon, Quainton. The landlord (George) has agreed to open the pub on a Monday for us so we don't bother the regulars. Now we just have to hope people want Beer & Byrd as much as I do!
| Order | Composer | Piece | Book | Page | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victoria | Ave Maria | ESM | 351 | Score |
| 2 | Lassus | Ave verum corpus | ESM | 176 | Score |
| 3 | Byrd | Ave verum corpus | OTAB | 44 | Score |
| 4 | Guerrero | Ave virgo sanctissima | ESM | 144 | Score—semitone higher; book preferred |
| 5 | Parsons | Ave Maria | OTAB | 32 | Score |
| Break | |||||
| 6 | Grieg | Ave maris stella | ESM | 140 | Score |
| 7 | Bruckner | Ave Maria | ESM | 64 | Score |
| 8 | Rachmaninov | Bogoroditsye Dyevo | ESM | 278 | Score |
| 9 | Mozart | Ave verum corpus | ESM | 248 | Score |
| Bonus | Javier Busto | Ave Maria | Separate PDF | — | Score |
Music for 19 October 2026 — Aves, from Renaissance polyphony to more recent pieces.
ESM: European Sacred Music · OTAB: Oxford Book of Tudor Anthems.
The Guerrero PDF is a semitone higher; the book version is preferred.
Javier Busto’s Ave Maria is an optional contemporary bonus at the end.
