Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

For those of you who think that one chant sounds much the same as another here is the short review: this is a collection of chants. For those of us who like to explore the unexpected twists and turns of our history and heritage, read on. Our starting point is the sixth century when Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine to evangelise the Anglos and Saxons. Both are represented here by two chants each. Then we come to Kyneburga and her sister Kyneswitha, daughters of the fearsome heathen king Penda of Mercia, and their kinswoman Tibba who have three chants between them. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne has the greatest representation in this collection with six chants. He is followed by chants in honour of Edmund, King of East Anglia, Dunstan of Glastonbury, Ethelwold, the bishop of Winchester, and finally Wulfstan of Worcester. Unless you come from Bury St Edmunds, all of these names are obscure. But all are worth hearing about and these chants are worth hearing. Magnificat sang - or chanted - in Durham Cathedral and the end result is very pleasing.

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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