Dialogues of Sorrow – Gallicantus, Gabriel Crouch

In 1612, Prince Henry Frederick, son of James I and heir to the thrones of England and Scotland, died from a suspected bout of typhoid fever. His untimely death inspired a massive outpouring of artistic tributes in both verse and music, reflecting the mood of a nation mourning the loss of this popular future king at just eighteen years of age.

Dialogues of Sorrow is the second disc from the early music consort group Gallicantus, here joined by the lutenist Elizabeth Kenny to perform familiar masterpieces and undiscovered treasures of the late English Renaissance, composed at the time of the young prince’s death. The release follows the group’s critically acclaimed debut recording, Hymns, Psalms and Lamentations, music by Robert White (GIG CD 134), which received superb critical acclaim:

‘Taste the final amens in Exaudiat te, Dominus, where imitative exchanges spiral in ecstasy. Impassioned, exciting music.’

The Times

‘What an outstanding disc… never once is there a loss of clarity, a hint of muddiness.’

Gramophone