Sheppard: Media vita & Other Sacred Music

John Sheppard’s compositional career spanned the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, and his music, often written in six parts, is one of the glories of the Tudor period. Here are three of his greatest Latin scores, with the 30-minute Media vita taking centre stage. Martin Baker and his Westminster Cathedral Choir are powerful advocates, energising the motet “Gaude, gaude, gaude Maria” with its dual homage to the Virgin Mary and Queen Mary, and imbuing the Missa Cantate with, literally, the spirit of song.