Album

The figure of Elizabeth I loomed large in English music of the late Renaissance, and an entire collection of madrigals, "The Triumphs of Oriana," was presented to her in 1601. The idea of using Elizabeth as a thematic principle for an album release has been tried in various ways. The entire "Triumphs of Oriana" collection has been recorded a few times, and madrigals have been used for deeper investigations of Elizabeth's reign. This collection by the mixed-gender adult choir Sarum Consort, which performs a wide spectrum of music from medieval to contemporary, takes a more accessible approach: All the Queen's Men is a loose reconstruction of a program that might have been played for the Queen during one of her tours of the English countryside. You can find greater crispness in the vocals, or a more rigorous concept. The inclusion of Philippe Rogier's Latin motet Laboravi in gemitu meo (formerly attributed to Thomas Morley), for example, is justified merely on the odd grounds that a household preparing for Elizabeth's visit would have had to work laboriously. Yet this is a satisfying collection of music that combines very famous pieces like Gibbons' O clap your hands with a few more unusual numbers, such as Thomas Hunt's Hark! Did ye ever hear? (track 2), with lute songs and unaccompanied lute pieces added to break up the series of unaccompanied madrigals. The Sarum Consort offers something of an old-school recording here, straightforwardly delivering the qualities that have made English madrigals crowd-pleasers for so long. Song texts and translations are available only on the Naxos website and sound is very plain.

© James Manheim, Rovi

CD 1
Thomas Weelkes Composer As Vesta was, from Latmos hill descending (a6) Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
1	As Vesta was, from Latmos hill descending (a6)	3:43			$0.99
Thomas Hunt [composer] Composer Hark! did ye ever hear so sweet a singing?, madrigal for 6 voices Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
2	Hark! did ye ever hear so sweet a singing?, madrigal for 6 voices	3:18			$0.99
William Byrd Composer O Lord, make Thy servant Elizabeth (a6) Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
3	O Lord, make Thy servant Elizabeth (a6)	2:56			$0.99
Orlando Gibbons Composer O clap your hands (anthem, a8) Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
4	O clap your hands (anthem, a8)	5:11			$0.99
Anonymous, English Composer Robin Is to the Greenwood Gone, ballad Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir, Jacob Heringman Lute
5	Robin Is to the Greenwood Gone, ballad	2:13			$0.99
Alfonso (ii) Ferrabosco Composer So Beauty on the Waters Stood, for voice & lute Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir, Jacob Heringman Lute
6	So Beauty on the Waters Stood, for voice & lute	1:42			$0.99
Philippe Rogier Composer Laboravi in gemitu meo, motet Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
7	Laboravi in gemitu meo, motet	6:04			$0.99
Michael East Composer Hence, Stars, Too Dim of Light for 5 voices Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
8	Hence, Stars, Too Dim of Light for 5 voices	1:55			$0.99
John Wilbye Composer Oft have I vowed Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
9	Oft have I vowed	3:53			$0.99
John Dowland Composer 2.Time stands still Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir, Jacob Heringman Lute
10	2.Time stands still	3:27			$0.99
Thomas Tomkins Composer Adieu, Ye City-Prisoning Towers (a5) Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
11	Adieu, Ye City-Prisoning Towers (a5)	2:23			$0.99
John Wilbye Composer Ye that do live in pleasures plenty Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
12	Ye that do live in pleasures plenty	2:40			$0.99
John Dowland Composer Lady Rich's Galliard ('Dowland's Bells'), P.43a Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir, Jacob Heringman Lute
13	Lady Rich's Galliard ('Dowland's Bells'), P.43a	1:48			$0.99
Thomas Morley Composer Hard by a cristall fountaine (a6) Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir
14	Hard by a cristall fountaine (a6)	4:07			$0.99
John Wilbye Composer Draw on sweet night Work Sarum Consort, Andrew Mackay Conductor, Sarum Consort Chorus/Choir, Jacob Heringman Lute
15	Draw on sweet night	5:22			$0.99