William Byrd (c. 1540-1623) was an English renaissance composer who wrote several well-known works in both the Catholic and Anglican traditions many of which are still highly popular today. He studied under ThomasTallis at the Chapel Royal before becoming organist and master of the Choristers at Lincoln. He later returned to the Chapel Royal as Gentleman and Organist. O Quam Suavis was inspired by the antiphon tothe Magnificat at the 1st Vespers of Corpus Christi. It makes a perfect anthem for any Eucharist service or Mass. It is scored for SATB choir with Piano reduction for rehearsal purposes.

The Italian And Spanish Schools For 5 Voices-The volumes of this expanding series are devoted to a wide range of sacred renaissance motets with Latin texts and contain a mixture of well known and unfamiliar pieces some of which are published for the first time.Allappear in completely new editions by Anthony G. Petti.

Sing Low is a new and wide-ranging collection of sacred music for church collegiate cathedral school and youth choirs of 'low voices': altos tenors and basses. The anthology includes Medieval and Renaissance works and represents the rich diversity of twentieth century church music. Selected and edited by Barry Rose.

of the 17th & 18th Centuries-Now available in 5 keys! Newly researched and engraved collections including the original Schirmer 24 plus four additional songs. With International Phonetic Alphabet word-for-word translations and historical information oneach song and composer. The CDs feature accompaniments and recorded diction lessons.

The German School For 4 Voices-The volumes of this expanding series are devoted to a wide range of sacred renaissance motets with Latin texts and contain a mixture of well known and unfamiliar pieces some of which are published for the first time.Allappear in completely new editions by Anthony G. Petti.

Jameson Marvin through his work with Harvard and Radcliffe has re-established the importance of teaching polyphony in the modern choral classroom. This beautiful setting of the Magnificat byPalestrina has been edited by Dr. Marvin to accommodate modern notation clefs and measure lines. He also maintains rhythmic groupings enabling the singers to move beyond the tyranny of the bar line and bring a beautifuland authentic performance to the stage.

The five-part motets Nos. 1-12-The Five-Part Motets Nos. 1-12 (SWV 369-380)Reflects the latest in musicological research based on the New Schutz Edition.Includes a detailed foreword (Eng/Ger) on performance practice by a Schutz expertInstrumental parts (Strings Winds) available in transpositions.In 1648 Heinrich Schutz published a collection of 29 motets with five to seven parts titled ?Geistliche Chor-Music? (Sacred Choir Music). Here the term ?Chor? (Choir) refers not only to a (large) Vocal ensemble but more generally to a group of musicians vocal or instrumental. As explained by Schutz in the foreword he published withthe collection all parts of the motets can be performed vocally and/or instrumentally.This practice common in Schutz?s time has been incorporated into Bärenreiter?s new publication. The edition includes the twelve five-part motets at original pitch with Basso Continuo. In addition instrumental parts for String and Wind instruments can be purchased. These parts which include the text serve to support and complement the choral sound ?colla parte?. To enable varying tone-colour possibilities instrumental parts are available in different transpositions.Of great significance is the detailed foreword on performance practice by Manfred Cordes.Manfred Cordes is a specialist for the music of the 16th and early 17th centuries. He works as professor for music theory counterpoint and ensemble and is also rector of the ?Hochschule für Künste Bremen?. He performs internationally as the director of the ensemble ?Weser-Renaissance Bremen?.

Motet for five voices (SATBB) for Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Edited by H.B. Collins.

On The Underground (or 'A Medieval Summer') is based upon texts from Poems On The Underground and was commissioned by the Ionian Singers with funds from The Holst Foundation. Written by Thea Musgrave for unaccompanied SATB chorus.

Morley's early-Renaissance setting of the Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis alternates between the unison lines based upon Gregorian tones and an SATB chorale-style texture. Edited by Francis Burgess and Royle Shore.

Rorate Coeli for unaccompanied chorus was written in 1973 in response to a commission from the National Federation of Music Societies in Great Britain. It was first performed by the Thomas Tallis choir in Greenwich. It is a setting of two interleaved poems of the famous Scottish poet William Dunbar (written circa 1500). One poem is the Nativity poem of the title the other is the poem about the Resurrection: 'Done is a battle on the dragon black'. The work is framed by the rich chords of the opening line where full chorus is echoed by soloists. This setting of both poems simultaneously reminiscent of medieval polytextural techniques shows the future victory of theResurrection along with present joy of the Nativity. The chords of the opening return at the end combined with an exultant Gloria.

Il Est Bel Et Bon (SSAA) English/French-Renaissance French composer Pierre Passereau was a popular creator of chanson rustiques in Paris and at court the early 1500’s. The songs that survive are almost all of a hearty style with plenty of onomatopoeia double entendres puns and occasional indelicacies employing graceful melody polyphony and sometimes chordal passages.Il es bel et bon has retained popularity almost since it was written. There is evidence that this song was sung as far away as Venice in the 1500's. Here composer Helen Cockburn makes the most of the delightful clucking cuckooing passages and the English words have retained most of the original’s consonants to good effect.