Phantasm - Ward: Fantasies & Verse Anthems - Gramophone

THE SPECIALIST’S GUIDE TO…The verse anthem 

Verse anthems can tend towards the melancholy; joyous examples often misfire. Not so in the case of this contained celebration by John Ward, probably written for the investiture of Henry, Prince of Wales, in 1610. It employs viols as it was probably performed by Chapel Royal forces (the text itself refers to ‘sweet harmony of instruments and voices’), but harks back to the consort song in other ways too. It gets a delicious performance here.