John Sheppard: Media Vita in Morte Sumus

Album review

The music of John Sheppard (ca. 1515-1558) has a monumental feel, with widely spaced voices in large structures that have little imitation or other unifying material. One of his most often recorded works has been the antiphon Media vita in morte sumus, in which his music seems to breathe and to expand to monumental dimensions. The existing manuscript is problematic in two respects: it is missing a tenor, making several deployments of voices possible, and it contains enigmatic indications of repeated sections. The most distinctive feature of this recording by the 12-voice Alamire vocal consort (here deploying the difficult two voices per part) is that the performers, led by director David Skinner and associated researchers, have reinterpreted these indications, producing a work that is 16 minutes long rather than the 25 or 30 minutes of earlier readings. The arguments provided don't close the debate, but truth to tell, these proportions feel right, and the commercial success of this EP (the music was recorded in 2012 but fell through the cracks and was resuscitated as this little budget-priced item) suggests that many listeners have reached the same conclusion. Skinner and Alamire also select a lower set of voice ranges than usual, resulting in a wide sonic space that is an unusually vivid illustration of what Sheppard is all about. The singing is gorgeous, and those wanting just a taste of this rather difficult composer might well begin with this item. The issues involved are explicated in a detailed booklet note available on the Inventa label's website, but this is not essential to enjoyment.

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