The Earth Resounds (Coro: COR16097) [CD]

This year, The Sixteen's annual choral pilgrimage is devoted to the music of Flanders in the 15th and 16th centuries. The round-Britain tour begins in April, but this CD duplicates the works by the three greatest Flemish composers Harry Christopher's choir will be performing live. Motets by Josquin alternate with pieces by Orlande de Lassus (two of his Magnificats and two motets) and with the Gloria and Sanctus from Antoine Brumel's Missa Et Ecce Terraemotus. It's all music that has been chosen for the vividness of its response to the texts whether it's the trembling exchanges of Brumel's Earthquake Mass, the monumentality of Josquin's Praeter Rerum Serium, or the disorientating chromatic sideslips of Lassus's Timor et Tremor. The Sixteen plot all these musical sleights of hand with great precision and suaveness.*** --Guardian,16/02/12

The byword here is magnificence:three of the greatest Netherlandish Renaissance composers in work of stature,ingenuity and beauty.Lassus's Aurora Lucis rutilat is a serenely raiant opening, scored for two five-part choirs,one pitched higher than the other.Two movements from Brumels's 12- voice Mass Et ecce terrae motus scintillate with amazing inner detail.Three Josquin motets combine structural sophistication with unprecendented expressivity of line.The Sixteen's singing, mostly directed by one of their basses, Dougan(supervised by an incapacitated Christophers), is as refined, clear and elegantly phrased as always. --Sunday Times,19/02/12

Flemish composers of the 15th and 16th centuries influenced music throughout the continent of Europe.For its 14th Choral Pilgrimage, The Sixteen, under Harry Christophers, will tour this programme of settings by Josquin, Brumel and Lassus to sacred buildings from Truro to Edinburgh for seven months from April. Outstanding among these crystalline contemplations is Brumel's Gloria from his "Earthquake" mass, vocal lines perpetually erupting over each other. **** --Independent 26/02/12

The byword here is magnificence:three of the greatest Netherlandish Renaissance composers in work of stature,ingenuity and beauty.Lassus's Aurora Lucis rutilat is a serenely raiant opening, scored for two five-part choirs,one pitched higher than the other.Two movements from Brumels's 12- voice Mass Et ecce terrae motus scintillate with amazing inner detail.Three Josquin motets combine structural sophistication with unprecendented expressivity of line.The Sixteen's singing, mostly directed by one of their basses, Dougan(supervised by an incapacitated Christophers), is as refined, clear and elegantly phrased as always. --Sunday Times,19/02/12

It is the Lassus that appears to have really captured the choir. The disc opens with the most rousing account I have heard of his well-known ten-voice Easter motet,Aurora lucis rutilat, which almost had me out of my chair with excitement, and closes with a triumphant rendition of his superbly wrought Magnificat setting based on elements of that same moment. This is a thrilling disc. --IRR,Apr'12

The byword here is magnificence:three of the greatest Netherlandish Renaissance composers in work of stature,ingenuity and beauty.Lassus's Aurora Lucis rutilat is a serenely raiant opening, scored for two five-part choirs,one pitched higher than the other.Two movements from Brumels's 12- voice Mass Et ecce terrae motus scintillate with amazing inner detail.Three Josquin motets combine structural sophistication with unprecendented expressivity of line.The Sixteen's singing, mostly directed by one of t --Sunday Times,19/02/12

…a performance of monumental majesty from the sixteen Performance **** Recording *** --BBC Music Magazine, June'12

The approach of Harry Christophers is distinctive and revelatory --BBC Music Magazine

This virtuoso group can hardly improve on a superb opening performance...their interweaving of plainchant and polyphony soared to the holiest heights of this ancient building. --The Observer

Josquin, Brumel and Lassus were truly European composers, leaving their origins to work in the top establishments of Aix-en-Provence, Ferrara, Rome and Munich. Their music has a unique sonority which will astound you all - from the depth of expression and fascinating texts of Josquin (prepare yourselves for the surreal nature of Praeter rerum seriem) to the overtly decorative mass movements of Brumels Missa Et ecce terraemotus where the 12 parts interweave in extensive imitation and thrilling tracery, culminating in the extraordinary harmonic stillness of Lassuss Timor et tremor and his gorgeously evocative 12-part setting of Aurora lucis rutilat. The Sixteens 2012 Choral Pilgrimage will take this programme of music to 27 cathedrals, churches and concert halls throughout the UK including London, Edinburgh, York, Cambridge, Wells, Liverpool, Birmingham and Cardiff.