Heavenly Harmonies named Evening Standard disc of the week

Reviews

Heavenly Harmonies named Evening Standard disc of the week

Fiona Maddocks, The Evening Standard (16 January, 2008)

The British tradition of Renaissance choral music, part of the Early Music revival of the 1970s, remains unchallenged, but groups such as Monteverdi Choir and Tallis Scholars need a new generation to invigorate their pioneering skills. Stile Antico, a superb mixed-voice group, all in their early twenties and trained in the same collegiate style, are the answer.

Heavenly Harmonies, their second disc, is of Tudor Church Music, combining Psalms by the Protestant Thomas Tallis (in English) with Latin settings by the Catholic William Byrd.

The contrast between austere Tallis and rich, poignant, recusant Byrd makes a strong programme, cleanly recorded in London’s Gospel Oak Church. The 14 singers work without a conductor, achieving ideal balance and intimacy. Seek them out.