John Sheppard - one of THE great geniuses of English music

[Nick Armstrong]

Over the years, I've encountered the music of Sheppard and been impressed. I am now in a full-blown Sheppard immersion phase.

The man is up there with Tallis, Byrd, Purcell, Elgar, RVW (add others, ad lib.) as one of the very best composers this country has ever produced, I'm in no doubt about it.

Anyone who doesn't know his music, try this - Libera Nos I & II, sung by Stile Antico... I can't stop listening to it, and it becomes ever more mesmerising the more I do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwtBoJgSUIw

[Anna]

That's very lovely Cali - do you have suggestions for further listening/cds? (I confess I haven't conciously heard him before)

[Nick Armstrong]

That's very lovely Cali - do you have suggestions for further listening/cds? (I confess I haven't conciously heard him before)

His magnum opus is Media Vita, nearly half an hour long - I'd suggest the same performers' Sheppard disc with that and other pieces http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sheppard-Med.../dp/B002XG8KAG

Libera Nos is from this album, along with Tallis etc: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...sr=1-1-catcorr ..... 89p to put that gem on your iPod... A steal !!

There's a Sheppard piece on this lovely album by the group, as well as Tallis's superb Christmas Mass http://www.amazon.co.uk/Puer-Natus-E...dmt_dmusic_t_1

[gurnemanz]

3 Sheppard discs on this recommendable Hyperion set.

[Rolmill]

That's very lovely Cali - do you have suggestions for further listening/cds? (I confess I haven't conciously heard him before)

I have a Hyperion Dyad twofer of The Sixteen singing the Cantate mass and a number of motets - it is a good, inexpensive way in. There is also another Dyad collection from the same performers (which I don't have), which includes the beautiful Western Wynde mass and more motets (though not the Media Vita, unfortunately). The Tallis Scholars are also very good (but still full price afaik) in both the WW mass and MV.

Edit: cross posted with Gurnemanz - looks like the 3 CDs in the box he links to contain most of the tracks on the two Hyperion Dyad reissues I mentioned. That looks like a good box (I have some of the Tavener recordings, and they are also lovely).

[BBMmk2]

This muisc seems to send you on another plain Cali! thank you! I do not seem to have this particular cd either so again thank you!!

[DracoM]

Christ Church Cathedral Oxford have a series of CDs from the Eton Choirbook on which Sheppard and other glories are brilliantly sung.

[amateur51]

Many thanks for this Caliban et al - it's music that I don't know and which is quite clearly lovely while it is playing but it just doesn't stick in my noddle. The fault is clearly mine and I shall try your suggested immersion technique to overcome it, but it does sadden me that I have been issued with a Sheppard (and other composers of this age) deficit

[amateur51]

Many thanks for this Caliban et al - it's music that I don't know and which is quite clearly lovely while it is playing but it just doesn't stick in my noddle. The fault is clearly mine and I shall try your suggested immersion technique to overcome it, but it does sadden me that I have been issued with a Sheppard (and other composers of this age) deficit

By George! I think I'm getting it

[Gabriel Jackson]

Christ Church Cathedral Oxford have a series of CDs from the Eton Choirbook on which Sheppard and other glories are brilliantly sung.

There is nothing by Sheppard on those discs. Indeed there is nothing by Sheppard in the Eton Choirbook (he was of a later generation)!

[Nick Armstrong]

By George! I think I'm getting it

Keep listening - all those modulations and discords and resolutions all the way through the texture are just intoxicating...

[Anna]

Presto Classsical have two Sheppard cds on offer, the Western Wynde Mass and the Cantate Mass both plus some of his other sacred music, both are 2cds, at 7.65, both by Harry Christopher and The Sixteens. Offer closes tomorrow (there are also other Hyperion discs at 40% off)

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/68844

[doversoul1]

Anna
There was a very interesting discussion about Sheppard’s music on last Saturday’s Early Music Show if you can download the programme as podcast (I think, as I don’t do download)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01scxdg

[LeMartinPecheur]

My Sheppard collection is small but does go back a long, long way to those funny things called LPs: The Clerkes of Oxenford CFP40265 which includes both of Cali's Libera noses (sorry!) and Tallis Scholars Gimmell 1685-16 with Media vita u.a. So it looks like I was ahead of the field in tuning in to JS<smugface>

Plus on CD, Vol 4 of the Sixteen's collection on Hyperion with the Western Wind mass etc. Not exactly the complete works - lots of duplications - but enough to keep me happy for now!

[Anna]

Is it too late to say I love The Western Wynde Mass, or is this boring? A Hyperion 2 cd. Would have been better if it weren't for The Sixteens. Still, needs must.