Singers: David Hurley (countertenor), Timothy Wayne-Wright (countertenor), Julian Gregory (tenor), Christopher Bruerton (baritone), Christopher Gabbitas (baritone), Jonathan Howard (bass)

The King’s Singers return with a new early-music recording that features 12 of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina’s beautiful polyphonic choral settings of the ‘Canticum Canticorum’ – better known as ‘The Song of Songs’ or Canticles, a collection of poetry in the Hebrew Bible on the theme of the joy and ecstasy of human love. These settings are framed by four of Palestrina’s Marian motets, works in honour of the Virgin Mary which he composed throughout his life.

This recording is the first to feature performances from the group’s new tenor Julian Gregory.

Track Listing

1. Alma redemptoris mater Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.54
2. Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.48
3. Pulchrae sunt genae tuae Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 3.27
4. Tota pulchra es anima mea Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.38
5. Nigra sum, sed Formosa Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 3.17
6. Regina Caeli Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.11
7. Trahe me, post te Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 3.22
8. Veni, veni delicte mi Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.44
9. Surge, propera amica mea Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.21
10. Descendi in hortum meum Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 3.02
11. Ave regina caelorum Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 5.29
12. Sicut lilium inter spinas I Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 4.41
13. Osculetur me Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.35
14. Ecce tu pulcher es Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 2.24
15. Sicut lilium inter spinas II Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 3.58
16. Salve Regina Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina 6.59

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