Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

If you thought there was only one “Ave Maria” think again. Here we have five of them (two by de Victoria and others by Bruckner, Stravinski and Holst) and in total 21 songs “in honour of the Virgin Mary”. The collection follows the church calendar with music for “Advent To Candlemas”, “Candlemas To Holy Week”, “Easter To The Sunday After Pentecost” and “Trinity To Advent”. The selection takes us back to Gregorian Chant through to a “Magnificat” by Giles Swayne (born in 1946). The Cambridge Singers are first class and this mid-price reissue (recorded in Ely Cathedral in 1992) has been thoughtfully compiled, attractively packaged and is excellent value for money.

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.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.