Browne Door To Paradise CD

The Door to Paradise celebrates Stephen Darlington's more than thirty year legacy as Director of the distinguished Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. This unprecedented contribution to the choral discography is the most comprehensive collection to date of music from the Eton Choirbook. The Door to Paradise brings together all five volumes of the Choir's survey in a newly-packaged, beautifully presented deluxe box set with a newly-penned overview of the project by Darlington. This extraordinary collection of English sacred music from the early Renaissance reveals a striking diversity and range of stylistic structures, harmony, sonority, ornamentation and improvisation, and brings to light two world premiere recordings- Walter Lambe's Gaude flore virginali and John Browne's second setting of the Salve regina. The collection's title derives from a dual meaning: the "door to paradise" is the English translation of a line from Browne's O regina mundi clara, while the cover image features the "Alice Door" between the Deanery and Cathedral Gardens of Christ Church, Oxford, featured in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

1. John Fawkyner: Gaude Rosa Sine Spina 2. William Cornysh: Salve Regina 3. Walter Lambe: Magnificat 4. Richard Davy: In Honore Summe Matris 5. John Browne: Stabat Mater 6. John Browne: O Maria Salvatoris Mater a 8 7. William Cornysh: Ave Maria Mater Dei a 4 8. Richard Davy: Salve Jesu Mater Vera a 5 9. Walter Lambe: O Maria Plena Gracia a 6 10. Robert Wylkynson: Salve Regina a 9 11. John Hampton: Salve Regina 12. Edmund Turges: Gaude Flore Virginali 13. John Fawkyner: Gaude Virgo Salutata 14. John Browne: O Mater Venerabilis 15. Robert Wylkynson: Salve Regina 16. John Browne: Salve Regina I a 5 17. John Browne: Salve Regina II a 5 18. William Horwood: Gaude Flore Virginali a 5 19. William Stratford: Magnificat a 4 20. Hugo Kellyk: Gaude Flore Virginali a 7 21. John Browne: O Regina Mundi Clara a 6 22. Robert Fayrfax: Magnificat ?Regali? a 5 23. Walter Lambe: Gaude Flore Virginali a 4 24. Robert Hacomplaynt: Salve Regina a 5