These three CDs continue the series illustrating the chant repertoire in the Hungarian tradition. The sources are late, mainly fifteenth century, and come from Hungary itself and neighbouring countries. Two points are of interest here: it is fascinating to see how the mainstream repertoire has been absorbed and transmuted to become a local idiom with its own characteristic melodic turns—often to avoid both B and B flat—and secondly, to note and savour some specifically Hungarian compositions. These include the rhyming Office of St Stephen (selections), with its nine Matins antiphons studiously following the strict order of the modes, and also the jubilant three-part Benedicamus trope for St Nicholas, complete with bells and brass, from a fifteenth-century Kosice fragment. One particularly fine piece is the wonderful Matins responsory Nobilis stirpe rex sanctus for St Stephen, sung with unsophisticated ease by the high voices. These chants may all be heard on the disc entitled ''Hungarian Saints'', together with others in honour of Ladislas amd Emeric; surprisingly, however, no mention is made of St Elisabeth of Hungary, nor indeed of any female saint.
The ''Holy Week'' and ''Easter'' anthologies reveal something of the splendour of medieval liturgy. Hungary had its local tones for lessons, including Lamentations and the St John Passion—here drastically reduced, deprived of its climax. One of the most moving items is the Kyrie puerorum, sung very quietly by the children's voices, in contrast to their usual boisterous cheerfulness. The Easter disc includes a local version of the Visitatio sepulchri, also a festive two-part Benedicamus trope and an extended Regina coeli, with troped verses.
The accompanying booklets offer succint somewhat scanty information, full Latin texts and English translations, some of which are curiously misleading, especially when they present unexpected renderings of particularly well-known passages. ''Confitemini Domino'' (O give thanks unto the Lord …) becomes ''Do penance to the Lord …'', ''Sudarium et vestes'' (shroud and vesture) becomes ''sponge and gauze'', and even such usual and obvious words as ''adorate'' (worship) gets side-tracked into ''love''. But these are minor blemishes: all in all this is a series worth acquiring, as much for enjoyment as for documentation.'