John Sheppard - Cantate Mass: The Sixteen
Two discs and only 4 of 20 tracks are the Cantate mass - there's also a good range of motets including many of Sheppard's best known pieces, such as the Christmas motet Verbum caro factus est and the beautiful Libera nos. If you need convincing of Sheppard's genius, just listen to the Amen of Jesu salvator saeculi, redemptis - taken individually some of the lines sound positively 20th century in their modernity, and in combination it takes your breath away - it's hard not to say 'he can't do that!' - but he does. Perhaps the only criticism is that the Sixteen underplay the clashes so they aren't quite as shocking as they could be. Even so, probably the best introduction to Sheppard now on the market.
CDs of Hymns
We now have a separate No Organist page on different ways to accompany hymns from CD to electronic hymnal, including our own superb value accompaniment CDs, and our individual tracks section where you can build your own CD from hundreds of hymns and voluntaries, or have tracks emailed direct.
If you want a CD with a popular selection of hymns with singing, particularly for wedding ideas, try these:
- The Complete New English Hymnal 22 CDs - click link to see what is on each
In the UK
- Abide with Me - 50 Favourite Hymns (many of the favourites)
- The English Hymn 1 (20th century, but all well knowns, like ‘My Song is Love Unknown’
- The English Hymn 2 (19th century)
- The English Hymn 3 (assorted)
- The English Hymn 4 (assorted)
- The English Hymn 5 (assorted)
- Love Divine: The Complete Guide to Music for a Church Wedding (includes organ music)
- Best Loved Hymns
- (More) Best Loved Hymns
- Love Divine – the essential hymns collection
- Wedding Hymns - Queen's College, Cambridge with a wedding-oriented hymn CD featuring 22 of the most popular hymns for weddings
In the US: