The lines follow each other, intersect, intertwine, and finally unite with infinite grace; the swirling of the hymns give birth to a sense of eternity, and the harmonies seem to touch the absolute. To listen to the purity and beauty of the voices of this young English choir, no-one could believe that man could be evil .
Gérard Pangon, Musikzen (3 March, 2010)
Stile Antico’s stately progress through this wonderful work is a near-miracle of breath control, rhythmical but not metrical lines and transparency of texture, coupled with hypnotic ebb and flow of dynamics. It arrives at an awe-inspiring climactic conclusion.
John Miller, SACD.net (17 January, 2010)
Stile Antico’s sense of structure and direction is impressive in the extreme; this is a carefully thought-out, serious and intimate recording.
Jonathan Wikeley, The Classical Review (18 June, 2010)
The performances here are uniformly excellent, celebrating not only the richness and diversity of Sheppard’s harmonic structures, but delighting in the sheer momentum of his often relentless, unceasingly unfolding lines and sometimes clashing colors… whatever the group does next, we’ll be listening. Highly recommended.
David Vernier, Classics Today (1 February, 2010)
Stile Antico’s unforced pacing, sensitive phrasing and wonderfully clear textures underline the serene mood and harmonic richness of these works… impressive technical proficiency and expressiveness.
Christopher Price, International Record Review (February 2010)
Stile Antico continues to set new standards for Renaissance polyphonic singing in this disc devoted to the 16th-century John Sheppard… the balance of vocal blend and individual voices takes you deep inside the music.
David Patrick Stearns, The Philadelphia Inquirer (28 February, 2010)
Above all, it is a pleasure to hear the fourth recording of the most remarkable group of the last few years… a pleasure that you will want to taste again and again. Indispensible.
Jean-Jacques Millo, Opus Haute Définition (1 March, 2010)
Some of the most stunningly beautiful and moving choral singing I have ever heard.
GATENS, American Record Guide (June 2010)
This is the fourth disc by Stile Antico, and the best yet. Their purity of sound, with a fullness achieved by only 14 voices, reveals Sheppard’s rich counterpoint. Despite this extraordinary finesse there’s no self-conscious beauty, only intelligent, vital simplicity.
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer (10 January, 2010)
A remarkable technique and a perfection of intonation typical of the English choral school, alongside a presence and warmth of timbre and texture which equals today’s finest Franco-Flemish ensembles. To add to that tantalizing portrait, these young singers work without director, each bringing their personality and ideas to the ensemble. The result is an unmatched clarity and transparency, in which no voice is trivial or neglected.
Jeremie Noyer, Tutti Magazine
Stile Antico, with their qualities of blend, true intonation and precision, also know how to vary the expression according to the text…
Philippe Venturini, Classica (2 March, 2010)
Whether the music be simple or complex, Stile Antico have the measure of it. Excellent!
Richard Lawrence, Gramophone (April, 2010)