At the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries many composers of choral music wrote works with highly elaborate, virtuosic voice parts. Gibbons was one of the best of these composers, and this piece may be his single finest virtuoso anthem. Each theme is constantly jumping back and forth from one voice part to the other. And he has constructed a wonderful architecture in this short piece, with a calmer middle part, and a fantastic final section where the original theme is brought back for one last time! The Voices and I love to do this piece as an encore at our Renaissance concerts.

– Dennis Keene

ORLANDO GIBBONS Hosanna to the Son of David

Voices of Ascension
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director

from the Delos recording Beyond Chant ℗ 1995 Delos
The singers in this performance are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.