The music of Renaissance Catholicism has gone mainstream, says Alexandra Coghlan – and one ensemble is leading the way

Early music – in living memory still a fringe interest for a nerdy minority – has gone emphatically mainstream. The past two decades have seen Catholicism’s Renaissance greats, Palestrina and Byrd, find their place alongside Beethoven and Brahms on Classic FM’s playlist; meanwhile groups like The Sixteen and Stile Antico rival the big orchestras in the classical charts, and choral giant Thomas Tallis’ Spem in alium unexpectedly went viral after an unlikely cameo in Fifty Shades of Grey.

Musicians have been quick to seize the moment. Specialist ensembles have multiplied exponentially, with a horde of ever newer and younger groups now jostling for attention. But in a crowded market, The Gesualdo Six stands apart.
Founded in 2014, the group has already built serious momentum. Three recordings, one major award and countless five-star reviews later, this all-male vocal group has established itself not just as the leader of this new-generation pack, but as a serious rival and alternative to established heavyweights as diverse as The King’s Singers and The Tallis Scholars.