It may surprise listeners to discover that John Merbecke (c1510-c1585) had once composed polyphonic works that could emulate the music of Sheppard, Taverner or Tallis. Merbecke is well-known the world over, of course, for his setting, in The Book of Common Prayer Noted, of the Anglican Communion Service – that somewhat turgid and boring effort, nothing like as good as his noble settings of the English Canticles. By contrast, this disc is a complete revelation: the clerk of Windsor who became the fervent follower of Calvin had previously composed at least two Latin motets, a delightful Christmas motet in English and also a fine, full-scale Mass, based on the ferial antiphon for Terce, “Per arma justitiae” as sung according to the rite of Salisbury during the season of Lent. (Don’t be misled: it’s the monastic version of that melody that’s inserted here before the Mass: but listen to the Sarum version, as it appears in the Gloria, in slow, equal notes, at “Qui tollis... suscipe”, etc.)
The choir are superb throughout. The very quiet and mysterious “Et resurrexit” in the Credo, so utterly different from what one would normally expect, is an inspired moment, followed a few phrases later by that tremendous burst of glory in the final statements. The Sanctus is a particularly beautiful and well-constructed piece, with shapely phrases admirably understood and performed by the singers. Here and elsewhere the long crescendos are well calculated and sustained. Highly recommended.'