John Dunstaple (a.k.a. Dunstable) was not just the first truly great English composer, he was also musical godfather to the Renaissance. In the middle of the 15th Century poet Martin le Franc famously described how Dufay had adopted the English manner championed by Dunstaple – la contenance Angloise – and how, to Continental ears, this new style of music sounded so fresh, and above all, joyful. From the sweet-sounding triads of Quam pulchra es to the total harmonic control of Veni Sancte Spiritus – Veni Creator, this selection of Dunstaple’s sacred music must simply rank as some of the happiest music ever recorded.
