Arnold Rosner (1945-2013) taught for years at the College of Staten Island. Before that he studied at SUNY Buffalo with the avant-garde of the time; they spat him out of the composition department, and he got his doctorate on the music of Alan Hovhaness. He became a prolific but severely underrated composer (check indexes).

Renaissance music was one of his major interests, though he also wrote in contemporary styles. These 2 Masses were written in 1971 and 74. He could be called a “Neo-Renaissance” composer, with unexpected har- monies and in the dance movements joyous American rhythms. This music is absolutely exquisite. It should be standard choral repertoire, and this group gives it the best possible advocacy. I was continually moved and in a state of transcendence. I couldn’t recommend this highly enough.