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.
Organ Music
Hymn Collections
We often get enquiries about sheet music for hymns. It's unusual for individual hymns to be available as sheet music. For accompanying hymn singing we recommend New English Hymnal or Ancient and Modern New Standard from our hymn book page. Feel free to drop us an e-mail if you want to check if a particular tune is in. For variations on hymn themes, try:
- George Thalben-Ball's 113 variations on hymn tunes
- Eric Thiman's 44 hymn tunes freely harmonised (ideal for jazzing up the final verse)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Herbert Howells
- Master Tallis's testament for organ
- Partita for organ
- Rhapsody IV and prelude De Profundis
- Siciliano for a high ceremony
- Six pieces for organ
- Six short pieces for organ
- Sonata No 1 in C minor
- Sonata No 2
- Three pieces for organ
- Three psalm preludes for organ
- Three psalm preludes, set 2
- Two pieces for organ (Fancy and Toccata)
- Two slow airs for organ (arranged for organ from violin and piano works)
Henry Purcell
Charles Villiers Stanford
Samuel Sebastian Wesley