This is indeed a fascinating selection of Renaissance and Contemporary choral music.

The Renaissance works are not ‘old favourites’, but will be unfamiliar to almost everyone: they are apparently recorded here for the first time. Although many readers may know at least the names of Cipriano de Rore (1515/6–65) and Philippe de Monte (1521–1603), few will be acquainted with Ippolito Baccusi (c.1550–1609) or Tiburtio Massaino (pre-1550–post-1608).

luminatus offers also the not widely-known work of three living women composers. You may wonder how a very diverse repertoire holds together. It is unified principally by the excellent singing of this young 20-voice choir, and the experienced direction of David Bray, ‘trumpet player, author, researcher [and] teacher’ (CD booklet) – and by its unfamiliarity and freshness. It is worth mentioning that the Renaissance works extend for just under an hour, while the five contemporary pieces last for about 20 minutes.

To begin with the latter. I found particularly engaging ‘O ye who taste that love is sweet’, a poem by Christina Rossetti set by Eleanor Daley (b. 1955), the Canadian choir director, accompanist and composer. The first of four three-line stanzas begins with an attractive unaccompanied melody, which is followed by a repetition with added harmony. Especially delightful is the melismatic treatment of the same melody, to the word ‘O’, near the end.

Becky McGlade (b. 1974) is a cellist, composer and teacher who lives in Cornwall. ‘I saw a new heaven’, a substantial anthem (about 5 minutes in length) has an excellent handling of varied textures. There are effective responses. Never extreme or exaggerated, to the occasional dramatic possibilities of the text (Revelation 21: 1–5a in the King James Version). The composer rightly focusses principally on hope and consolation, with a  particularly lovely setting for ‘God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes’.

It was a walk on the cliffs in Cornwall which inspired McGlade’s setting of ‘Love divine, all loves excelling’, the much-loved hymn by Charles Wesley. The CD booklet gives the customary four-verse text of the hymn, but the closing halves of verses 2 and 3 are not set to music here. Although regrettable in a way, it is understandable given the considerable length of the full text (and that in a few sources the hymn does exist in this form). However, a little less use of melisma might have helped, especially as Wesley’s text seems to need slightly more direct projection. But what matters most is that the music is beautiful, with a fastidious use of dissonance.

The name of the Swedish composer and sometime church musician Agneta Sköld (b. 1947) was previously unfamiliar to be – undeservedly so. Her ‘Corpus Christi Carol’ and ‘God be merciful’ are delightful, with a completely natural feeling for English texts. (If you enjoy them, some of her other pieces are available online.)

The words of the ‘Corpus Christi Carol’ are first found in written form in the early 16th century (earlier than suggested in the CD booklet). The meaning of the poem is somewhat mysterious, but the title ‘Corpus Christi’ (‘Body of Christ’) points towards the theory that the bleeding knight may be Christ ‘who bleeds for the sins of humanity endlessly’ (Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corpus_Christi_Carol ). The opening two lines are a refrain or burden, originally to be sung after each of the six two-line stanzas. Agneta Sköld’s structure is rather more subtle, leading well beyond basic strophic setting.

‘God be merciful’ is a setting of the King James Version of Psalm 67 (minus the two utterances of ‘Selah’) rather than the Coverdale version (with Gloria Patri) from The Book of Common Prayer. The piece presents the text very clearly and concisely, with a most effective highlighting, partly through lively syncopation, of the words ‘Let the people praise thee…’.

The Renaissance works on this CD begin with a substantial five-part motet by Cipriano de Rore, ‘Ad te levavi oculos meos’. It is a setting of (Vulgate) Psalm 122 (equivalent to the Biblical and Prayer Book Psalm 121, ‘I will lift up mine eyes’). Philippe de Monte’s mass of the same name (about 30 minutes) follows, is a ‘parody mass’, meaning that some of Rore’s music is borrowed and quoted in the Mass; this is done as a mark of respect, following a common tradition, rather than with some kind of satirical intent! Possibly the motet and the mass were brought together in the course of the same celebration of the Eucharist?

The remaining tracks are shared between Ippolito Baccusi (two five-part pieces) and Tiburtio Massaino (three in four parts). These little-known composers, like some others, have been crowded out by ‘greats’ such as Palestrina, Lassus and Byrd – sadly because their work is well worth hearing and singing.

The following information is intended to augment the CD booklet, where texts and translations are provided, but without further elucidation.

One of Baccusi’s works is a setting of Revelation 4: 3–5 (‘Cantabant sancti canticum novum’ – that is, ‘The holy ones were singing a new song’). The appropriately joyful setting may well have been intended for All Saints, but possibly for Holy Innocents. Baccusi’s other piece is a setting of ‘Salve regina’ text.

Massaino’s ‘Salvatorem expectamus’, with text from Philippians 3: 20b-21a is appropriate for use in Advent. ‘O Domine Jesu Christe’ (‘O Lord Jesus Christ, I adore you, hanging on the Cross and wearing the Crown of Thorns’) sets a prayer of St Gregory: there is an appropriate intensity about this setting, which is clearly suitable for Passiontide. The words of ‘Ne timeas Maria’ come from Luke 1: 30b–32a, as part of the Annunciation story.