HAVPCD335 – A Cappella
HAVPCD335 – A Cappella
Trinity Boys Choir.
The sound of unaccompanied voices has inspired worshippers for centuries, but the decision not to have instruments playing at the same time has not always been a straightforward one for composers.
Pragmatism no doubt had its place in the Renaissance when the a cappella ideal was occasionally compromised through lack of rehearsal time, and the pioneering efforts of Martin Luther and others to have accompanied congregational singing encouraged later generations to write liturgical settings with opulent orchestral contributions. The starting point for much unaccompanied sacred music is chant and this underpins the earliest work on this recording, the magnificent six-part antiphon Reges Tharsis by John Sheppard: plainsong alternates with polyphonic sections which set five imitative voice parts around a baritone cantus firmus.
The wonderfully rich sonority of the six-part sections represents Sheppard?s distinctive style and it is regrettable that his work receives less attention that many of his younger contemporaries. This is due in no small part to the lack of contemporary prints of his works, a fate which did not befall William Byrd, who, with Thomas Tallis, enjoyed the royal printing monopoly.
