Reviewed by John Irvine

As part of the celebrations to mark his 50th birthday in 1994, John Tavener selected certain of his works to be sung and recorded by The Sixteen under the direction of Harry Christophers. The works on this disc are certainly among Tavener's most enduring works for small choirs - the unaccompanied "Two Hymns To The Mother Of God", the two Blake settings, "The Lamb" and "The Tyger"; and the phenomenal "Ikon Of Light" where a double choir are joined by an ethereal string trio playing at a distance from the singers. Unequivocally Christian Orthodox and musically extremely accessible, this selection of works is to be commended simply for pairing the Ikon with the Two Hymns. The Sixteen are one of Britain's leading small vocal groups and this recording is exemplary in terms of sound quality and of performances, which are faultless. Although these works have been recorded several times before, this is a worthy and welcome addition to the catalogue and I suspect that it will prove to be a popular selection for a long time to come.

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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