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The third volume in the great enterprise of recording William Byrd’s vocal works continues with more wonders. At the heart of volume 3 are four marvellous motets for Epiphany from The Gradual of 1607. Byrd’s emotional range in the four relatively short motets is extraordinary, from brilliance in the "Surge, illuminaren" to the devotional humility of the "Vidimus stellan in Oriente". Enclosing the four motets are lesser known pieces, some early, some from manuscripts and which have needed reconstruction or adaptation from various sources. There is the short and refined "Domine ante te", and the second long-est work on the disc Domine Des Omnipotens which makes use of contrasted vocal scoring. The end of the piece is almost unbearable in the way the listener is drawn into a world of concentrated supplica-tion. The distinguished Flemish composer De Monte safe on the continent sent the first four verses of "Super flumina Babylonis"’ in eight parts and sent them to his friend Byrd. Byrd responded in dangerous times setting the remaining subversive verses in "Quomodo cantabimus" also in eight parts; and in ingenious vocal colours. Both are recorded here. All the performances are superb, tender at times, strong at others, beautifully shaped and always sounding as if the singers were singing for the glory of the music and nothing else. It is hard to think of the performances  easily being equalled. The disc has useful notes, the original texts and translations. At the end of the disc, the listener is left marvelling at the quality of Byrd’s gifts and at his courage. Perhaps not until Soviet times has a great composer had to face such intellectual and physical dangers.

Reviewer

Don Roberts

Reviewer

Don Roberts

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