Six figures clad in black contrasted sharply with the brilliant gold mosaic background as their pure voices lifted to the top of the angel-clad dome.

The King’s Singers, founded in 1968 at King’s College at Cambridge, England delivered an awe-inspiring concert presented by the Stanford Lively Arts at Stanford’s Memorial Church on Feb. 16. With impeccable timing, unbelievable intonation, and a relatable and friendly presence, artistry and humor was presented in everything from Zolt’n Kod’ly’s “Esti Dal” to a Monty Python-esque “Timepiece” by British composer Paul Patterson.

Each singer gave an introduction to every piece and explained what message the piece was trying to convey and the story behind it. With two countertenors, David Hurley and Robin Tyson, one tenor, Paul Phoenix, two baritones, Philip Lawson and Christopher Gabbitas, and one rumbling bass, Stephen Connolly, each piece had a diverse range of voices. The difficulty of blending and standing out was perfectly executed as each singer had their own style when time for a solo or accompaniment.

The first piece, Estonian Cyrillus Kreek’s Gregorian chant, like “Onnis on inimene,” reflected the setting of the concert and the lingering echo added to the effect of the church. Another composition by Kreek, “Psalm 141,” was the fifth sung in the program and was based off the psalm “I call upon you, O Lord; come quickly to me.”

Many of the compositions sung during this concert were commissioned by the King’s Singers, including the second piece, Richard Rodney Bennett’s, “The Seasons of His Mercy,” another calming piece that added to the atmosphere of the night with two solos by Phoenix.

The third piece, “Sea Runes” by British composer Peter Maxwell Davies, was another piece commissioned by the King’s Singers that told the soft story of everything from a “New Boat” to a “Shopkeeper” to a “Crofter-Fisherman.”

The next piece was an obvious contrast to its predecessors as its Japanese influence was so apparent in the use of a bell chime and even two verses sung in Japanese. The message of the piece was a sad reflection on the proverb “It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.” The voices of the King’s Singers mimicked a bird who continuously calls out but is never answered. The piece createed a bleak scene where the voices are transformed into a symphony of wind instruments.

Following Kreek’s “Psalm 141” was diverse piece “Rakastava, op 14” by Swedish composer Jean Sbelius, a piece about lovers searching for each other, finding and dancing, and then, sadly, being forced to part. The piece was sung in Finnish with solos by Phoenix in Swedish.

Next was the heart-wrenching “Esti Dal” by Zolt’n Kod’ly, the most important Hungarian composer, after B’la Bart’k, in the 1900s. Written from a soldier’s point of view during the Hungarian Liberation War in 1848, a pray to God for peace and safety through the night was conveyed through the sad and hopeful beginning solo of Phoenix.

To end the first half was the contemporary “Horizons” by South African “Peter Louis Van Dijk” that described the Dutch sailing to Cape Town and the natives’ reaction. It started as a story, narrated by Hurley with humming from Tyson in the background. The voices of the King’s Singers mimicked native instruments and animals with solos by Gabbitas, Phoenix, and Lawson.

Monty Python’s “Now for something completely different” was quoted as an introduction to the second half as the next piece, and so it was. “Timepiece” by Paul Patterson stated that the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden was neither the apple nor the serpent, but a wristwatch that Adam wore on his wrist. In this bizarre and humorous piece, Eve, played by Tyson, asked Adam, Connolly, what he was wearing on his wrist and all hell breaks loose with ticking, tocking, and a small part where Connolly goes into a husky blues voice.

Closing the concert was “Close Harmony” where the King’s Singers announced that they would be singing reprises of the spiritual “Swing Low Sweet Chariot,” Paul Simon’s ballad “Some Folks Lives Roll Easy,” the Beatles’ famous “Blackbird,” and the famous “Down to the River to Pray” from the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou.” After a standing ovation, James Taylor’s famous ballad “That Lonsome Road” was performed.

From Gregorian chants to modern hits, the King’s Singers gave a diverse and well-delivered concert. The connection of the six members and their performances is an inspiration to all a capella groups out there.

The King’s Singers is one of many vocal performances presented for the 2006-07 performing arts season. Soprano Deborah Voigt’s recital will close the season on April 29. More information about upcoming performances as well as video clips and music samples can be found on the Lively Arts web site at http://livelyarts.stanford.edu