Reviewed by Dave Massey

The quest for more and more authentic recreations of old works has empowered this recording of a full 16th century mass.  The form of a Marian Mass — com­plete with  priests intoning introductions and Epistles etc. has been researched by Mr. Darlington  and expertly pieced together. David Skinner, the Christ Church alto, replaced the missing  tenor part from a corresponding Molet by Taverner. And the result? A delightful work for the scholar (I'll have a half!) and people who have listened to ancient sacred music and wondered just how and where it fitted into the church service as a whole.   It may hold some interest for a more casual listener but soon becomes tedious. More recordings of a similar ilk are in the melting pot but I'm afraid that I can't help thinking that one is  plenty.  It almost goes without saying that the performance of the choir is rich and polished — the use of boy sops adds to the dynamic of the recording as well as to authentic­ity.   It is also good to see music like this being brought back into the context of the church.  The concept is interesting, the performance is excellent and the authenticity of sound probably as near as its going to get but the end result leaves the listener more intellectually than musically satisfied.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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