Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Leading performers of 17th century music the vocal group Magdalena Consort, viol specialists Fretwork, and His Majesty's Sagbutts and Cornetts combine forces under the artistic direction of William Hunt for this exploration of English Anthems with instrumental consort for ceremony, reflection and prayer to celebrate the anniversary of the death of Orlando Gibbons in 1625. All three CDs are available separately and the entire programme can be accessed digitally as well. Gibbons takes centre stage in the first of the three discs with his complete consort anthems, giving 66 minutes of sacred music as heard in the court of King James of Bible fame. Volume 2 features eight works by William Byrd with a selection of his younger contemporaries from John Bull to Edmund Hooper, and the third and final volume takes us beyond the Civil War to the Restoration of King Charles II with contributions from a variety of relatively obscure English composers including Thomas Tomkins (1752-1639) with six works and another nine by eight other composers. Any collection of music featuring viols and sagbutts - a precursor of the trombone - is of its time, but what a time this was as English church music developed after the Protestant Reformation through to and beyond the Puritan domination of the English Republic of Oliver Cromwell and on to the very different time of the Restoration. In musical terms we move from the Late Medieval Catholicism of Tallis and Byrd on towards the Baroque of Purcell. Although the three albums were recorded over seven years in two different locations the standard of performance and the audio quality remain consistently high. When we read the liner notes we will see a certain amount of change in the line-ups but we do not hear any notable difference in the music other than when Silas Wollston joins on the historic 'St Teilo' organ by Goetze and Gwynn for Volumes 2 and 3. There are thorough notes in the three illustrated CD booklets and lovers of historic English church music will gain much pleasure from any or all of these discs, available separately and now in one convenient box-set. If you collect Orlando Gibbons, go for Volume 1 and once you have heard it I predict you will want Volumes 2 and 3 as well, so cut to the chase and buy the box. If all this sounds too specialised for the general listener, try Volume 3 as a taster and, having enjoyed it, see above and get the box.

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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