Reviewed by Dave Massey

Brahms was deeply interested in early music, and these Motets represent some of his delving and experimentation in that style. Brahms built up an extensive library of early works and the sleeve notes describe how he was encouraged in this by Clara Schumann's gift of the first volume of the Bach 'Werke'. The Motets are a showcase of canon and counterpoint (with a tinge of classicism) as witnessed by the three Op 37 choruses "O Bone Jesu", "Adoramus Te Christie" and "Regina Coeli".  In these Brahms demonstrates canon and contrary motion i.e., two tunes starting one after the other, one goes up and the other down - and this is done at the fourth, fifth and octave.  In the "Regina Coeli" he produces a mirror canon i.e. the second melody being an inversion of the first, and he interjects a single note melody, then all of these are squeezed together in-a final stretto (stretto: squeeze). Here the subject and answering melodies are drawn closer together. This recording by the Trinity College choir is masterful and well produced - but the result is a collection of works that will appeal more to the specialist than the casual listener.