Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

The turmoil caused by the Protestant reformation in Tudor England is almost unimaginable and yet out of it came some of the greatest music ever composed. In this splendid recital the talented vocal consort Stile Antico juxtapose works from different sides of the religious divide. Thomas Tallis (c. 1505-1585) was a Protestant while William Byrd (c. 1540-1623) remained Catholic. Tallis offers austere, homophonic Protestant psalm tunes in which the clarity of the biblical texts, here taken from Archbishop Parker's Psalter, was paramount. This contrasts with Byrd's Catholic motets, which constantly heighten musical expressivity and emotiveness. Yet, far from being stifled by the rigour of one camp or the traditionalism of the other, the creativity of these two masters of English music thrived on such constraints as they dedicated themselves to the service of their art and of God. Byrd's motets are from "Cantiones I & II" and are joined by his "Mass Propers for Pentecost" from 1607 and are both interesting and enjoyable but it is, for this reviewer, Tallis that grabs the attention. The full title is "Nine Psalm Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter" and all nine are well worth hearing, particularly when they are sung as well as they are on this disc. The vocal blend of the 14 singers is exquisite and the audio quality outstanding. As an introduction to Tudor church music this is well worth hearing, especially as it features work from both sides of the divide. If you appreciate excellent singing this is thoroughly recommended.

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