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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | Exultate Deo
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| |  | Tye: Western Wind Mass
Christopher Tye was a chorister at King’s College, Cambridge, and subsequently gained a doctorate in music at the University. He wrote most of his music whilst Organist and Master of the Choristers at Ely Cathedral. Although much of his music has been lost, his extant compositions reveal a master rivalling his contemporaries, Tallis and Taverner. Another “benchmark recording” from The Choir of New College Oxford, conducted by Edward Higginbottom. | 
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| |  | Music of Christopher Tye
Christopher Tye (1505-1572) was an important figure in the English renaissance. His career was based around the centres of Cambridge and Ely and spanned the English Reformation. He wrote both in Latin and its vernacular successor. Few albums of Tye’s music are available and the superb Cambridge University Chamber Choir, formed from elite singers taken from various colleges, gives a perfect introduction to Tye’s output. The choir is conducted by the world-renowned choral director, Timothy Brown. | | | Usually despatched in 8 - 10 working days. |
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| |  | Mary and Elizabeth at Westminster AbbeySisters in Hope of the Resurrection
Our second October release from Westminster Abbey tells the story of the religious and political turmoil that engulfed England in the sixteenth century, and from which composers of liturgical music could find no escape. They were forced to follow the changing edicts about permitted texts as the pendulum of power oscillated between traditional and reformed religion. Interestingly, this period saw the greatest flowering of church music in England’s history; some of the most magnificent works of the age are recorded here. November 1558 is the chronological centrepoint of this disc. The first half of the programme consists of music performed (not necessarily in all cases composed) during Mary’s reign; the second half, beginning with the evening canticles from Sheppard’s Second Service, explores something of the immense variety of sacred music produced during the subsequent, much longer and more celebrated reign of Mary’s Protestant half-sister. “Undoubtedly the most impressive achievement here is Mundy's Vox Patris caelestis… the cohesion of the ensemble forces admiration, as indeed does the trebles' athleticism and stamina. I'd also single out Nicholas Trapp, the treble solo in Byrd's Teach me, O Lord, and the choir as a whole in the opening and closing numbers... As a showcase for English choral singing at its most charismatic, this deserves to be widely heard.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2008 “The brilliance of the programming matches that of the singing. By ranging lesser-known works, such as Mundy's, alongside familiar music such as William Byrd's anthems, we can appreciate how foreign and original were the new styles of church composition under Queen Elizabeth.” BBC Music Magazine, March 2009 ***** “Following the success in the Gramophone Awards of the Choir of New College, Oxford, this first–rate survey of old favourites suggests that collegiate institutions such as these continue to enjoy rude health, fears to the contrary notwithstanding.
Conceived as a memorial to two royal sisters buried in the Abbey, it includes some wonderfully strong singing from boy trebles. As ever, their tone conforms to the 'house style', clearer and brighter than that of Edward Higginbottom's but with no hint of shrillness.
Undoubtedly the most impressive achievement here is Mundy's Vox Patris caelestis, which looks a rather unwieldy, sprawling thing on paper (and sounds it in some performances); here it is convincing formally, and the cohesion of the ensemble forces admiration, as indeed does the trebles' athleticism and stamina. For this alone this disc warrants the strongest recommendation.
” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “Oscillations between Catholicism and Protestantism required Tudor musical chameleons to provide either rich Latin polyphony or strictly metrical settings, according to prevailing diktat. This disc illustrates those opposing styles, notably placing Byrd's glorious Latin lament 'Ne irascaris, Domine' between subtly fashioned motets” The Guardian, 5th October 2008 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | English Renaissance MusicA recital which contrasts the inspirational work of Thomas Tallis, Christopher Tye and John Sheppard
After the enormous success last year of their recording of Bach Motets (476 5776), the Hilliard Ensemble turn their attention to music of the English Renaissance and specifically, works by three 16th century composers, Tallis, Tye and Sheppard. While Christopher Tye might be branded one of the lesser-known figures of the English Renaissance, and John Sheppard perhaps the more esoteric, Thomas Tallis stands as the most important and accomplished musician of the Tudor period. All three, however, were masters of polyphony, associated with the Chapel Royal. The music here is not a sampling of the (much-recorded) music for the new Prayer Book but a survey of the earliest examples of the impact of reform on musical composition, namely from the last decades of Henry VIII’s reign. The works of Tallis, Tye and Sheppard are alternated and contrasted throughout this beautifully constructed recital, recorded, like many of the Hilliard Ensemble’s CDs, in the splendid, crystal-clear acoustics of the Sankt Gerold monastery in the Austrian Alps. Tallis has long been an inspirational figure for the Hilliards, who had a huge success with their recording of his Lamentations of Jeremiah (833 3082) in 1986 - one of their first ECM New Series discs - and also brought his music into their collaboration with Jan Garbarek on Mnemosyne (465 1222). “The ensemble is flawless and the sound reproduction crystalline.” BBC Music Magazine, Proms 2008 *** “…beautifully blended performances…” Gramophone Magazine, October 2008 “The Hilliards here return to familiar territory with a programme of Tallis, Tye and Sheppard.
While the territory may be familiar, however, not all of its landmarks are, and neither is their disposition – this is an extremely well organised disc, surveying the impact that the musical aspects of the Reformation had in the first instance on English composers (what David Skinner aptly describes as 'that musicologically grey period in the last decades of Henry VIII's reign'). Thus, while all the works by Tallis (Inieiunio et fletu, Te lucis ante terminum, Audivivocem and Salvator mundi, the latter given a particularly beautiful performance) are well known, they are set in the context of much more recondite material.
The rarities from Sheppard include the early Gaudete celicole omnes, whose constant flow almost suggests at times a kind of English Gombert, and later, clearly Henrician works, such as the marvellously luminous hymn Eternerex, altissime. The music by Tye includes Omnesgentes plaudite, which may perhaps be considered relatively known, but the four sections of the Missa sine nomine from the Peterhouse partbooks will probably be unknown even to most connoisseurs of this period, precisely on account of the missing voice. Hopefully these beautifully blended performances will help to change this state of affairs, for it is an extremely impressive work, heralding the new, compact and more declamatory style with consummate skill. An outstanding release.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
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| |  | Music of Christopher Tye
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| |  | The Music of Westminster Cathedral Choir
'A wonderful programme. Westminster Cathedral Choir excite, enthral and electrify under both James O'Donnell and his predecessor David Hill. It would make an ideal gift for any lover of the tradition' (Cathedral Music)
'Bargain of the month' (Classic CD) “Bargain of the month” Classic CD | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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| |  | Choral Masterpieces of the English Renaissance
Gibbons, O: | Te Deum & Jubilate Deo (Second Service, morning) O Lord, in thy wrath rebuke me not Fantasia of four parts O God the King of Glory Glorious and powerful God Magnificat & Nunc Dimittis (Second Service, evening) A Fancy Sing unto the Lord A Fancy for Double Organ O clap your hands See, see, the Word is incarnate | Tallis: | Sancte Deus Audivi vocem de caelo Honor, Virtus et Potestas O sacrum convivium Salvator mundi Dum transisset sabbatum In ieiunio et fletu Derelinquat impius Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for 5 voices Candidi Facti Sunt Salvator mundi, salva nos 1 - antiphonn for five voices Absterge Domine Gaude gloriosa Dei mater | Taverner: | Mass 'The Western Wynde' Mater Christi Sanctissima | Tomkins: | Te Deum In Nomine (2 Versions) Jubilate (Third Service) Third Service: Magnificat & Nunc dimittis Voluntary in G Know you not Voluntary in C Voluntary in A O Lord, let me know mine end Oh, that Salvation | Tye: | Western Wind Mass My trust, O Lord, in thee is grounded Christ Rising Again from the Dead Omnes gentes, plaudite manibus Peccavimus cum patribus |
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Gramophone Magazine