Search - Robert Fayrfax, Andrew Carwood, David Skinner :: Robert Fayrfax: The Masses

An Interesting survey into an unknown composer

B. Porter | Whittier, CA United States | 08/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Robert Fayrfax is a rather uncommon name to most musicians. In fact, most probably haven't heard the name at all. This CD would likely be a good chance for most people to become familiar with this English composer.

The music, of course, is Renaissance polyphony- the kind with interwoven melodic lines and voices entering and exiting in an ever changing spiral of sound. It does not have all of the dissonances of a Gesualdo or Victoria, and it is overall consonant. Chorale- like passages are interspersed with those of a motet-like character.

Fayrfax being a rare composer, not all of his music has surfaced until quite recently. This is proven by a newly discovered motet that is included in the third CD. An added bonus is the sheet music to this motet, printed in the booklet and edited by musicologist David Skinner who also wrote informative notes on Fayrfax and his music.

The Cardinall's Musick headed by Andrew Carwood are more than apt performers of this music. The only complaint I have is that the text is hard to understand. Whether this is because of the pronunciation of it or because of the articulation of the music itself, I cannot say. All of the altos are male- a nice feature, exceptiong the fact that they can be rather hard to hear at times. Maybe they could have come into the front a little more often. The three sopranos(women) are very good and are not too operatic for their roles. Although not up to the level of The Tallis Scholars, say, The Cardinall's Musick is definitely a too neglected ensemble.

Overall, I reccommend the CD set to anyone who likes Renaissance polyphony or is interested in learning about a rare composer."

Truly beautiful

Sid Nuncius | London England | 05/24/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The three discs in this set are compiled from the set of five discs which The Cardinall's Musick made of Fayrfax's complete works. Fayrfax himself was an English composer of the first half of the 16th Century, and wrote these five magnificent mass settings plus some very beautiful settings of the Magnificat and other texts. His music is rich, delicately beautiful in some places and spine-tinglingly sonorous in others. The Cardinall's Musick are the perfect ensemble for this repertoire: a superb group of singers with a rich, resonant tone and acoustic. They are directed by the excellent Andrew Carwood who has an unsurpassed feel and understanding of English music of this period and who has recently been appointed Director of Music at St Paul's Cathedral in London. The combination is irresistible, and I urge you not to resist.



The original five discs were favourites of mine as they came out, and remain so. This set is slightly diminished in that works such as the sublimely lovely Aeternae laudis lilium are missing, and two of the masses have to be split over two discs. However, at this price you are getting a simply fantastic set of music which will give you pleasure for years and years to come. Just listen to the Sanctus of the Missa Albanus and I guarantee you'll be transported by its sheer loveliness. A set not to be missed.



You may also be interested in The Cardinall's Musick's set of Nicholas Ludford's Festal Masses which are equally good."