This collection gathers together nearly sixty of the finest examples of the secular choral repertoire into one volume. Due space is given to the magnificent sixteenth century madrigals of England and Italy, with favorite works by Gibbons and Morley placed alongside less familiar selections by Lassus, Marenzio, and Weelkes. German and French pieces are also represented, for example, with Passereau's ever-popular Il est bel est bon. Works by Haydn and Schubert lead to the nineteenth century repertoire, which includes Brahms's lovely Nachtwache, from Five Songs, Op. 104, and Pearsall's exquisite...

Gathered in this volume are some of the finest motets and related pieces for the season of Christmas. Christmas Motets provides a superb choice of pieces for all choirs looking for something new. John Rutter has prepared completely new editions of all the pre-twentieth-century works, going back to the earliest and most reliable manuscript or printed sources. There are new English singing translations and playable keyboard reductions in every case.