The combination of ideal, sympathetic soloists and the combined CM90 choral and orchestral forces led the way to an enourmously successful series, which received ecstatic reviews across the globe. It is with delight that we are now able to offer these works for the first time as an 8-CD collectors' set at special price. In his survey of Haydn's late masses, Richard Hickox offers performances which consistently bring out the freshness and originality of the writing, and are seen by many as the definitive version of these works. Reviews on the original releases: All in all, this is the finest disc of Haydn's sacred music I have heard - an enthralling release' - BBC Music Magazine on Harmniemesse etc. 'A disc guaranteed to refresh the spirit' - Gramophone Magazine on Theresienmesse 'Clear, fresh and sublimely beautiful' - The Organ on Harmoniemesse 'One of the most significant discs of Haydn's sacred music I know...' - American Record Guide on Paukenmesse

Recorded in: St Jude on the Hill, Hampstead, London 23,24 November 1995 Producer(s) Ralph Couzens Sound Engineer(s) Ben Connellan Richard Smoker (Assistant)

Recorded in: Blackheath Halls, London 8 January and 3 April 1997 Producer(s) Brian Couzens Ralph Couzens Sound Engineer(s) Ralph Couzens Peter Newble Richard Smoker (Assistant)

The fact that these works have, until now, remained unrecorded perhaps bears witness to the fact that the discrimination confronted by Alice Mary Smith over a hundred years ago has still not been entirely eradicated. Smith wrote by far the greatest number of orchestral works of any ninteenth-century British woman composer and the success of her orchestral and choral works gave rise to a heated discussion as to whether a woman could ever compose a work of greatness. Her finely crafted and inventive music is the story of a wife and mother battling against prejudice and, in the eyes of her contemporaries at least, succeeding.

Recorded in: Grand Hall of Moscow Conservatory November 1999 (Missa oecumenica) & Mosfilm Studio; October 1999 (Symphony No. 5) Producer(s) Valeri Polyansky Sound Engineer(s) Igor Veprintsev

Recorded in: New Broadcasting House, Manchester 5,6 September 1991 Producer(s) Brian Couzens Brian Pidgeon Sound Engineer(s) Don Hartridge

Recorded in: St Jude on the Hill, Hampstead, London 11-12 November 1993 Producer(s) Ralph Couzens Sound Engineer(s) Ben Connellan Richard Smoker (Assistant)

Recorded in: Layer Marney Church, Essex 1 June 1985 Producer(s) Brian Couzens Sound Engineer(s) Ralph Couzens Philip Couzens [Assistant]

Recorded in: St Bartholemew's Church, Orford, Suffolk 11-13 September 1996 & 8 February 1997 Producer(s) Martin Compton Sound Engineer(s) Ben Connellan