In 2014, The Sixteen returns to its roots, revisiting the golden age of Renaissance polyphony in England. In this new program, the award-winning ensemble presents...

In 2014, The Sixteen returns to its roots, revisiting the golden age of Renaissance polyphony in England. In this new program, the award-winning ensemble presents a stunning selection of music by Richard Davy, John Sheppard, and William Mundy. Little is known about the life of Richard Davy, although he is the second most-represented of all the composers in the Eton Choirbook, and his beautifully florid style may well have had an impact on later composers. The mere fact that his music survived the Reformation is nothing short of a miracle. John Sheppard’s musical style contains all the grandness and idiosyncrasies of English harmonic invention, as is aptly displayed on this recording, which includes one of the gems of Tudor music: the glorious seven-part Trinity antiphon Libera nos. William Mundy was one of the few composers whose career bridged the Reformation and allowed him to develop his style through a variety of important periods. His Votive antiphon, Vox patris caelestis, probably written for the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, can be considered the culmination of the great antiphon tradition with its elaborate and virtuosic vocal writing and daunting range.