The Blossoming Vine: Eamonn Dougan & The Sixteen's new CD release

28 April 2014

The Sixteen choir & orchestra under Associate Conductor, Eamonn Dougan, follow up the success of the first disc in their Polish series with a new recording devoted to music from the court of Sigismund III Vasa, The Blossoming Vine. Previewed in The Sunday Times the disc contains "…two breathtakingly wrought Song of Songs settings, Ego flos campi and Osculetor me osculo, by Bertolusi. Anerio’s Missa Pulchra Es is, by any standards, a monument by a master."

The second disc in Eamonn’s ongoing series with the ensemble explores a selection of fascinating music composed by the Italian maestri at the Polish Court of the 16th and early 17th centuries including works by Asprilio Pacelli (who has been compared to a mature Palestrina), Vincenzo Bertolusi and Giovanni Francesco Anerio. The series is kindly supported by the Polish Cultural Institute.

The first disc in the series, "a delightful performance" (BBC Music Magazine), was devoted to one of the most eminent composers of the Polish 17th century, Bartłomiej Pękiel. Receiving both public and critical acclaim the CD spent a number of weeks in the UK Specialist Classical Charts. "Sit back and relish this treasure trove which has clearly been prepared with passion" (Gramophone Choice).

The Blossoming Vine is released today on Coro, and can be purchased here.