This CD presents recordings originally released on the Virgin, Hyperion, and Collins labels, coupled here to serve as a musical tour through the Renaissance golden age of English polyphonic music. Indeed, the music–some of the period’s masterpieces, from John Sheppard’s In manus tuas to William Mundy’s Adolescentulus sum ego–is as ethereal as the performances are expertly sung. Throughout, The Sixteen choir exhibits sumptuous tone, sure intonation, and unanimous vision under the knowing direction of Harry Christophers. It seems odd, but my only real complaint is that the choir’s unequivocally polished sound is never broken by any contrast. I prefer the singing of several of the English, and a few American, choirs of men and boys in this repertoire, where there’s a little bit more bite in the attack and a few more hard consonants to go along with a beautiful sound. But if you like nearly perfect singing from a mixed ensemble using sopranos instead of boy trebles, this CD might be just the thing for you. The recorded sound is excellent across the board, regardless of the original source, except for a few occasions where I wished for slightly less resonance.
