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outstanding realisations of Mouton's wonderful music

25 September 2012
BBC Music Magazine
Barry Witherden

Let's overlook the punning pictures of sheep/moutons on the cover and concentrate on the choir's outstanding realisations of Mouton's wonderful music. Mouton's canon-based compositions have a refreshing airiness and transparency. This clarity is achieved notwithstanding his mathematical methods, and it's a quality that's brought out superbly by the Tallis Scholars and by the excellent recording, providing both sharp focus and a sense of spaciousness and depth.

The CD opens with Loyset Compère's chanson on which Mouton's Mass is based. This chanson is itself an elegent, delightful piece. Its inclusion helps us appreciate the skill and imagination with which Mouton weaves his developments of its three voice parts. The programme is completed by some motets and a setting of Ave Maria ... virgo serena, with some of these pieces demonstrating how Mouton could pare down his musical components and still produce dazzling beauty.

Peter Phillips's lively, highly readable notes present scholarly comments in an accessible manner. They give vivid insight into the historical context of Mouton's music.

5* Performance
5* Recording

Abridged from the full review in the November 2012 issue of BBC Music Magazine

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outstanding realisations of Mouton's wonderful music