This CD features renovations of stereo recordings made in 1958 by Michael Howard for the Argo label in the late fifties at Ely and Arundel Cathedrals. The Arundel recording, Music for the Common of Apostles (plainsong and Palestrina"s Missa Aterna Christi Munera) were made with The Renaissance Singers, whom Howard had founded more than a decade earlier. The Ely recording, Music for the Feast of Christmas, combined this group with choir of Ely Cathedral and features Howard"s then-assistant Arthur Wills who went on to succeed him as Organist and Director of Music. A great deal of care has been taken with the renovation of these recordings. The original master tapes have been de-noised and the recordings re-reverberated, using measurements taken especially for this reissue, in the buildings that the recordings were made. The result is pristine audio quality in which these performances have never before been heard. Sleeve notes are by Bruno Turner and Michael Howard."Stunning in impact" - Peter Giles (in The Counter Tenor)"Spendid singing" - The Musical Times"Very compelling...and very influential" - Bruno Turner"[The Ely choristers] show themselves, both in tone and flexibility, the equals of any comparable group in the country; above all they have a vitality in attack which English choirboys too often seem to lose in the quest for a specious purity of tone" - Gramophone1. CaustunRejoice in the Lord2. GibbonsThe Record of John3. AmnerOh ye little flock4. MessiaenLes anges5. Anon.Dominus dixit6. PalestrinaDies sanctificatus7. SweelinckHodie Christus est8. ByrdAn earthly tree9. HandlResonet in laudibus10. Anon.Eya martyr Stephane11. VictoriaO quam gloriosam12. Anon.Vox in Rama13. Dufay, Salvete flores14. Anon.The Coventry Carol15. Anon.Hymnus Aeterna Christi MuneraPalestrina: Missa Aeterna Christi Munera16. Kyrie17. Gloria18. Credo19. Sanctus20. Benedictus21. Agnus Dei I22. Agnus Dei II