by Paul Matheson

(Coro COR16167 – www.thesixteen.com )

We Christians often refer to ourselves as an ‘Easter people’. We are also very much an ‘Advent people’, awaiting the coming of the Lord. So I am always grateful for music that captures the mystery, the solemnity and the beauty of the great feast of Christmas.

In this splendid 67-minutes collection of festive works from the Renaissance, The Sixteen and their director Harry Christophers capture the uplifting joy and spiritual consolation of Advent and Christmas, from the pure simplicity of plainsong chants Resonemus laudibus and Veni, veni Emmanuel to the polyphonic epiphany of Lassus' Videntes stellam Magi and Byrd's ethereal O Magnum Mysterium.

In his introduction to the written booklet that accompanies this sacred music, Harry Christophers observes that Christmas is a time when we pray that love and hope will prevail. How true that is this year, with conflict and violence raging in the Sudan, Ukraine and the Holy Land, and poverty and homelessness present amongst us. Harry writes that ‘there is no better age for glorious sacred music than the Renaissance. Europe abounded in outstanding composers: Byrd and Tallis from England, Guerrero and Victoria from Spain and a plethora of Flemish composers such as Sweelinck and Lassus. All these composers and the others represented on this album show a wealth of glorious polyphony and inventiveness. We take you right through the Christmas season, from Advent to the birth of Christ, Holy Innocents and the Three Kings’.

Paul Matheson is an advisor on equality, human rights and standards in public life.