CLERKES OF OXENFORD - DEBUT: THE ORIGINALS

First issue of England’s transformative Choir directed by David Wulstan

“This pioneering choir under David Wulstan demonstrated a new way of performance and inspired a new generation of world-class choir directors. Its use of vibrato-less, high women’s voices, one-to-a-part scoring, and above all its strict approach to tempo, set the standard for most recordings since.” “It’s very much the fruit of my time at Oxford and the influence of David Wulstan and Bernard Rose.”(Harry Christophers)

“Under the direction of Wulstan, some choirs decided that Tudor pitch was probably a minor third above today’s. The theory is convincingly demonstrated.” “The Clerkes of Oxenford opened our ears to a new and invigorating approach to Tudor church music” (Gramaphone)

1. Pro tis genniseos - Byzantine, Sophronios, 7th Century 1:54

2. Angelus ad Virginem - English 14th Century 3:55

3. Nowell, Tydynges trew - English 15th Century 1:30

4. Song of the Nuns of Chester: Qui creavit coelom -

English 15th Century 2:53

5. Nowel, owt of your slepe - English 15th Century 1:41

6. Nova, nova, Ave fit ex Eva - English 15th Century 1:19

7. Nesciens Mater - Thomas Wright (fl. 1550) 2:52

8. Quid petis, O Fili? - Richard Pygott (d.c. 1550) 9:33

9. I come from Heaven high to tell - Continental 16th Century 3:19

10. Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus - Continental 16th Century 1:47

11. Dum Transisset Sabbatum* - John Taverner (d. 1545) 6:28

12. Christ our Paschal Lamb* - John Sheppard (d.c.1560) 1:46

13. Regina coeli* - Robert White (d. 1574) 3:58