Originally released on Collins Classics in 1992, this outstanding program returns in the same glorious sound and vocal splendor as before, as part of Coro’s comprehensive reissue series of The Sixteen’s esteemed catalog. If you still own the earlier CD you won’t need this exact duplicate, albeit with different packaging–but if you don’t, it remains the reference standard for these magnificent 15th-century choral works, preserved in the great collection known as the Eton Choirbook. First and foremost, these pieces demand a choir that can sustain very long lines, build extended, multi-stage climaxes, and energize treble parts that often soar high above widely-spaced lower voices. There’s no question about The Sixteen’s esteemed qualifications in this regard, and from the monumental opening work, Richard Davy’s 15-minute-long monsterpiece O Domine caeli terraeque creator, we’re elevated to heavenly heights of vocal and sonic bliss. The disc ends as it begins, with Robert Wylkynson’s equally magnificent (and long) Salve Regina, a musical structure reflecting the spaciousness and elegance of the great cathedrals of its era. Highly recommended.
