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 by King’s College Cambridge
The universities of Cambridge and Oxford both have a number of chapel choirs that rank with (and better most) cathedral choirs in their professionalism and style. Arguably the best of the lot is King's College, Cambridge. A British institution with their carol service on Christmas Eve, King's has a formidable reputation. While they may occasionally be bettered by the stunning accuracy of the Sixteen or the beautiful simplicity of Westminster Cathedral, King's are amongst the most reliable of the choirs recording today.
Many older recordings, directed by the great Sir David Willcocks, are still available, providing excellent quality at budget prices.
Byrd Motets in paired settings
A clever idea that works surprisingly well. Six Byrd motets (Latin anthems) are paired with a motet that uses the same words by a different composer. It's a great way to explore some of Byrd's contemporaries, while discovering afresh just how brilliant Byrd was. You may have the Byrd Ave Verum Corpus, his most famous (and possibly best) motet elsewhere, but it bears having multiple copies. This is an old recording (1965), which means that it's very good value for money, yet still entirely acceptable to the listener.
Byrd - Haec dies, Ave verum Corpus, Miserere mei, O quam gloriosum, Iustorum animae, Tu es Petrus, Palestrina - Haec Dies, Tu es Petrus, Philips - Ave verum Corpus, Gabrieli - Miserere mei, Victoria - O quam gloriosum, Lassus - Iustorum animae
Carols from King's
In the UK, Christmas music and the sublime chapel of King's College, Cambridge are powerfully linked. The service of 9 lessons and carols at King's on Christmas Eve is still the model for practically everyone else, and the King's choir certainly knows how to deliver with these very traditional carols. Inevitably starting with Once in Royal David's City (another King's tradition), there are all the standards - Hark the Herald, O Come All Ye Faithful, O Little Town and so on - with a few slightly more sophisticated numbers - Adam Lay Ybounden, Quem Pastores etc.. Great basic Christmas CD - but for a little more, consider the two CD Noel - Christmas at King's.
Noel - Christmas at King's
King's once more, but a total of 36 tracks to Carol's from King's 26. Here it's the second CD that starts with the inevitable Once in Royal David's City and once again all the very traditional favourites are included, but there's a chance to expand the "extras" options to include the likes of the Sussex Carol, Balulalow and Tchaikovsky's impressive Crown of Roses, none of which are on the single CD offering. Probably the best choice for a King's Christmas.
