Reviewed by Dave Massey

This is the kind of music that The Sixteen do best, and far more effectively than their excursions into Baroque goodies like the Messiah (1986). Whilst lacking some of the power that larger choirs bring to church music, The Sixteen more than make up for it with a delicacy and breadth of expression that is unrivalled and which epitomises their appeal for me. The use of female sopranos is effective most of the time but at others they tend to overwhelm the other voices (as on the last part of the "Dum Transisset Sabbatum II") giving the whole thing a top heavy feeling. On the "In Manus Tuas III" there are some beautiful clashes which, I suspect, were pretty daring in Sheppard's time and wonderfully executed here by the tenors. Sheppard's music is much neglected and The Sixteen and Harry Christophers should be congratulated on this, the fourth in the series by the composer, meticulously researched and performed with the quality I have come to associate with all their offerings.

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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