‘Skidmore and Ex Cathedra fill this album with some of the most alive, infectious and uplifting Baroque polyphony I've ever heard … a very special release’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘Truly sublime … all beautifully played, sung and recorded’ (The Sunday Times)

‘Ex Cathedra enter into the festive spirit with the infectious enthusiasm for this newly discovered treasure-trove that also pervades their crisp, stylish performances of the more sober pieces’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Ending in a frenzy of whoops and shrieks—Ex Cathedra more exhilaratingly uninhibited than I've heard them before. After such abandoned exuberance, Vespers ends with an endearingly unaffected recessional hymn. Instruments and voices are reduced, one by one, until nothing remains but hummed voices lingering in the air—and the memory of a most impressive disc’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Bursting with fun and uplifting music. The liturgical items shine with melodic beauty and joy’ (The Times)

‘A fascinating collection, performed with admirable care for authenticity … a moving and modestly refined collection of Irish songs—from spirited anthems to beautiful laments—which should prove irresistible to lovers of folksong-based music. Superbly produced’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘A real charmer, featuring exquisitely musical singing and ensemble work. Utterly beguiling’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The performances admirably match the spirit of the originals … the bell-like sound of the metal-strung harp is most distinctive, and Giles Lewin's fiddle solos are delightful. Recording and presentation are up to the company's customary high standard’ (Gramophone)

‘This first-rate recording makes an important contribution not only for its exceptional performances, but in its thoughtful programming … essential’ (Classics Today)

‘The Magnficat setting glows with power, and the three Lamentations have a grave beauty impossible to resist with the radiant tone and golden blend of Stephen Rice's Brabant Ensemble. The wise selection focuses on material underexposed elsewhere’ (The Times)

‘The young Oxford choir turns its immaculate ensemble, lucid diction and faultless tuning to the Spanish composer Morales. His Lamentations flow with exquisite sadness … the lines blend like threads in a tapestry … the selection of motets is rich with dynamic contrast, expressivity and downright beautiful singing’ (Classic FM Magazine)

‘This is The Brabant Ensemble at their most vigorous and confident … in a fast-growing discography, this is a valuable addition’ (Gramophone)