I remember that when this recording was first released in 1958 it caused a sensation among the musically inclined of my school. Indeed, because of it I wrote to Alfred Deller, audaciously proposing that he should come and give a recital to the music society. Alas, he did not, because I couldn't raise the funds, £20, I think it was, but I still have his charming reply somewhere.
This is probably one of the most successful recordings Deller made and should be ranked alongside its companion ''Elizabethan and Jacobean Music'', and the Bach cantatas which I reviewed in January. Deller is on top form here and his programme, thoughtfully chosen as always, includes some of the loveliest songs of the period arranged mainly by Edmund Fellowes and Peter Warlock. Interspersed among these are three Fantasias for viol consort, two of them by the English-born Alfonso Ferrabosco, and the remaining one by Byrd. Viol playing has changed a lot since then but August Wenzinger's consort of viols, drawn from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, played a pioneering role in the early music revival, and the performances are sensitive.
It is for the songs and above all for Deller's interpretation of them, however, that this disc should be treasured. Few listeners, I believe, will remain unaffected by his singing of Byrd's ''My sweet little darling, my comfort and joy'', with which he begins his programme. It establishes a lyrical, sometimes elegiac mood which colours the entire programme, reaching a sustained climax in Robert Parsons's Pandolpho. A more highly ornamented version of this song is included on the ''Elizabethan and Jacobean Music'' disc (also Vanguard), providing an interesting comparison. It is probably unwise to listen to everything here without a break, but taken in 15-minute sessions Deller's voice and his often extraordinary sensibility to music and text make a strong impact. The recorded sound still comes over well and the balance between voice and instruments is usually effective. Full texts are included in the booklet—almost a mirror-image of the reverse side of the original LP sleeve. Thanks are due to Vanguard this disc is a winner.'