Byrd: Motets and Mass for four voices

On this CD:

1. O ye tender babes, partsong for 4 voices
Composed by Thomas Tallis

2. Cibavit eos, motet for 4 voices (SATB)
Composed by William Byrd

3. Oculi omnium, motet for 4 voices (SATB)
Composed by William Byrd

4. Sacerdotes Domini, motet for 4 voices (SATB)
Composed by William Byrd

5. Quotiescunque manducabitis, motet for 4 voices (SATB)
Composed by William Byrd

6. Mass for 4 Voices (SATB) Kyrie
Composed by William Byrd

7. Mass for 4 Voices (SATB) Gloria
Composed by William Byrd

8. Gloria tibi Trinitas, for keyboard, MB 50
Composed by William Byrd
Performed by Christopher Bowers-Broadbent

9. Mass for 4 Voices (SATB) Credo
Composed by William Byrd

10. Clarifica Me Pater (I), for keyboard, MB 47
Composed by William Byrd
Performed by Christopher Bowers-Broadbent

11. O sacrum convivium, motet for 4 voices (SATB)
Composed by William Byrd

12. Clarifica Me Pater (II), for keyboard, MB 48
Composed by William Byrd
Performed by Christopher Bowers-Broadbent

13. Mass for 4 Voices (SATB) Sanctus
Composed by William Byrd

14. Mass for 4 Voices (SATB) Benedictus
Composed by William Byrd

15. Clarifica Me Pater (III), for keyboard, MB 49
Composed by William Byrd
Performed by Christopher Bowers-Broadbent

16. Mass for 4 Voices (SATB) Agnus Dei
Composed by William Byrd

17. In Nomine for 4 viols
Composed by John Taverner
Performed by Christopher Bowers-Broadbent

18. In going to my naked bed
Composed by Richard Edwards

19. Vaine, Vaine, Vaine
Composed by John Sheppard

Tracks:

Music Of The Morning Rite: a. Alleluia - b. Haec Dies
Music Of The Morning Rite: Easter Sequence
Dum Transisset Sabbatum
Sanctus
Exsultate Deo
a. Easter Acclamations b. Surrexit Christus Hodie
Music Of The Evening Rite: Before The Ending Of The Day
Music Of The Evening Rite: In Pace
Music Of The Evening Rite: Into Thy Hands, O Lord
Music Of The Evening Rite: Ubi Caritas
Music Of The Evening Rite: Keep Me As The Apple Of An Eye And Nunc Dimittisa
Music Of The Evening Rite: O Christ, Who Art The Light And Day
Music Of The Evening Rite: a. We Will Lay Us Down In Peace b. Libera Nos, Salva Nos

Amazon.com

A brief glance at the packaging for this recording might make you think New Age, and indeed this label normally offers recordings in that vein. The disc's cover tells nothing about the music inside--all we see are the ruins of an ancient abbey, the moon in the sky on the front, the sun on the back. But wait. If you get far enough to listen to the recording, you'll find one of the most beautiful and beautifully programmed choral recordings in the catalog. The compositions, organized into the categories "Music of the Morning Rite" and "Music of the Evening Rite," are mostly from 16th- century composers--Byrd, Taverner, Sheppard, White--with a few Gregorian chants and a gorgeous rendition of the 20th-century motet by Duruflé, "Ubi caritas." Conductor/choral music legend John Rutter has assembled a program that's both uplifting and restful; the performance is faultless. One could only complain about the short (39 and a half minutes) playing time. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Choral work at it's finest........2007-06-03

I really enjoyed this work. I was first introduced to this title through American Gramophone's website and was also my first introduction in the works of John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers. You do not have be religious to enjoy this work. I find the music uplifting and very sublime. I have listened to it many times, and I find that my favorite period to play it is in the morning hours. .

I have since purchased many other Rutter titles including "Images of Christ", and more recently "Lighten our Darkness"

Love it.......2007-05-02

13 years ago, I had the tape of brother sun, sister moon and as a teenager and I would play it every night as I slept, I loved it. I dont know what happened to it and I have ever sence been looking for it, and I just baught the CD and am so excited.

Light and shadows.......2003-07-29

Recorded in the Great Hall of University College School, London, the Cambridge Singers under the direction of John Rutter produced a true masterpiece in 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon' in 1988. The title derives from a famous prayer by St. Francis of Assisi, and is inspired by liturgical music from (or derivative of) the Middle Ages and Renaissance polyphony and Gregorian chant. The music is meditative, uplifting, and elegant in simplicity and stunning vocal quality.

--Brother Sun--
The first half of the disc is largely composed of pieces from the liturgical Morning Prayer cycle, concentrating on texts from Easter, the most important of Christian days. From the Alleluia to the Acclamations and Surrexit Christus Hodie (Christ is risen today), the flow from Gregorian Chant to compositions by Byrd, Taverner and Palestrina (giants of this type of music) in increasing energy and glory, as befits both a Morning service (time to wake up!) as well as a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Perhaps of particular note here is the cantoring of bass Gerald Finley in the Easter Acclamations.

--Sister Moon--
The second half of the disc concentrates on music of the evening; in particular, the Compline service, a service of unwinding and sombre meditation with which monastic communities conclude their days of work and worship. Many churches have reincorporated Compline into a regular cycle of services; some have even done so as a result of exposure to this recording. The music here is softer and less energetic than that of Morning prayer. This includes music from Whyte and Sheppard (also masters of the Medieval-to-Renaissance liturgical polyphony) as well as a brilliant motet by twentieth century composer Duruflé for the Ubi Caritas.

--Liner Notes--
The notes for this recording include the titles and words, in both Latin and English, for each of the pieces recorded here. It has an excerpt from a prayer by St. Francis, and a basic introduction to the music relating it historically and liturgically. One thing conspicuously missing is any biographical information about John Rutter, or any descriptive information about the Cambridge Singers apart from the basic listing of singers.

--John Rutter--
Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.

--The Cambridge Singers--
The Cambridge Singers are a mixed choir of voices, many of whom were members of choir of Rutter's college, Clare College, Cambridge. While they specialise in English and Latin liturgical pieces, they have a wide range of recordings that span from modern compositions (including a remarkable requiem by Rutter) to English folk songs of the Middle Ages. For this particular recording, the choir consisted of eleven sopranos, six altos, six tenors, and six basses.

Cambridge Singers = Quality.......2002-05-23

I do love this cd, but tend to play certain tracks as my first love is chant. I play the Victimae Paschali Laudes in the car and sing along - it is so very beautiful that this rendition of this Easter Chant is worth purchasing this cd alone. I love that one track so much, my only criticism of the cd is that I wish they'd centered the entire cd on chant - and I hope they will do one like that in the future because the quality of the voices is stunning.

American Gramaphone, please reissue this title........2000-03-30

I originally obtained this CD through Minnesota Public Radio. The first time I listened to the Ubi Caritus, I was moved to tears. The CD became my favorite to play at Christmas and other times. I gave the CD to a friend who has moved to Oregon, deeply regret that it is no longer in production.

Tracks:

Os Justi
Ubi Caritas
Gloria (Missa Secunda)
O Sacrum Convivium
Sanctus (Missa O Quam Gloriosum)
Ave Maris Stella (Vesperae 1610)
Cantate Domino
Beati Quorum Via
Exaudi Dimine
Locus Iste
Sanctus & Benedictus (Missa Secunda)
Tota Pulchra Es
Tu Es Petrus
Tantum Ergo
Kyrie (Missa O Quam Gloriosum)
Gloria (Missa O Quam Gloriosum)
Ave Verum Corpus
O Quam Gloriosum
Laetentur Coeli
Nunc Dimittis

Customer Reviews:

mas o menos.......2002-08-15

Si bien el coro es de un buen nivel, la verdad es que el sonido no es como yo esperaba, y algunas interpretaciones están un poco apresuradas y con poco fraseo.

Christ Church Cathedral.......2001-10-14

As a former member of the choir and a participant on this album, I am not exactly unbiased in my review. But, I can tell you that the album was recorded in some of God's own spaces like San Marcos in Venice, some Jesuit church in Venice whose name I don't remember, Westminster Abbey, and St Peter's, Rome. The sound of the choir on these tours was even better than I remembered it. And the added bonus of supporting a men and boys choir, especially an American men and boys choir is irresistible. The music performed on the CD is also rare. Some of the pieces on the disc are pieces I tried to find for years without luck. Several of the pieces feature a countertenor section that was unmatched on this side of the Atlantic. As a serious classical music fan, I highly recommend this album, aside from the personal attachment to the choir. You will have a hard time matching this album anywhere with the quality of the performance, the rooms in which it was recorded, the repertoire, and the chance to hear one of the five best men and boy's choirs in America. There's more than corn in Indiana.