Members Of The Cambridge Singers Directed By John Rutter - Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers Elizabethan Madrigals

Review by conner peden

Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers: A Timeless Journey Through Elizabethan Madrigals Let’s get one thing straight—this album isn’t your average “put it on while folding laundry” kind of classical record. Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers, directed by John Rutter and performed by members of The Cambridge Singers, is like stepping into a time machine set to Renaissance England. Released in 2003 under Collegium Records (UK & US), this collection of Elizabethan madrigals feels as fresh as if Shakespeare himself had just handed you the sheet music. Now, let me break it down for ya. You’ve got a killer lineup here—sopranos who could charm birds out of trees, tenors smooth enough to butter toast, and basses so rich they might as well come with a warning label. And don’t even get me started on the editing and engineering team (shoutout to David Jacob, Michael Hatch, and Tony Faulkner). This album sounds crisp, warm, and alive, like someone opened a window in Ye Olde Recording Studio. Standout Tracks That Stuck With Me First up, we’ve got “Draw On, Sweet Night.” Oh boy, does this track hit differently. It’s basically the Renaissance version of a chill playlist—you know, the kind you’d queue up when you’re trying to impress someone but also act cool about it. The harmonies are tight, the pacing is dreamy, and there’s this moment where all the voices come together that just makes you go, “Whoa… okay, I wasn’t ready for that.” Melanie Marshall and Nicola-Jane Kemp absolutely slay their alto parts, giving off serious “we’re not mad, we’re just disappointed” vibes. It’s hauntingly beautiful without being overly dramatic, which is hard to pull off unless you're, well, The Cambridge Singers. Then there’s “The Silver Swan.” If ever a song deserved its own emoji, this would be it.

Download Members Of The Cambridge Singers Directed By John Rutter - Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers Elizabethan Madrigals

Artist: Members Of The Cambridge Singers Directed By John Rutter
Album: Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers Elizabethan Madrigals

UK & US

Classical

Renaissance

2003

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About Artist
Interesting fact
Related albums

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Filename: members-of-the-cambridge-singers-directed-by-john-rutter.zip

MP3 size: 86.1 mb
FLAC size: 930.3 mb

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Tracks

Track	Duration	Preview
Adieu, Ye City-Prisoning Towers	2:10
Sleep, Fleshly Birth	6:05
Too Much I Once Lamented	6:20
Fyer, Fyer!	2:15
Though Amaryllis Dance In Green	2:10
Dainty Fine Bird	1:58
The Silver Swan	1:45
Now Is The Month Of Maying	1:55
Quick, Quick, Away, Dispatch!	3:06
Draw On, Sweet Night	4:55
Round About In A Fair Ring	0:55
Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers	1:30
This Sweet And Merry Month Of May	2:28
Adieu, Sweet Amaryllis	3:10
Hark, All Ye Lovely Saints Above	3:15
My Bonny Lass She Smileth	2:05
Ha Ha! This World Doth Pass	1:48
Death Hath Deprived Me	2:55
Lullaby	2:05
Weep, Weep, Mine Eyes	4:27
A Little Pretty Bonny Lass	1:55

Images

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Catalog Numbers

CSCD 511

Labels

Collegium Records

Listen online

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Formats

CD
Reissue

Companies

Role	Company
Recorded At	Henry Wood Hall, London

Credits

Role	Credit
Alto Vocals	Alex Donaldson, Melanie Marshall , Nicola-Jane Kemp, Peter Gritton
Bass Vocals	Charles Pott, Gerald Finley, Nicholas Sears
Design	Rowie Christopher
Directed By	John Rutter
Edited By	David Jacob
Engineer	Michael Hatch, Tony Faulkner
Ensemble	The Cambridge Singers
Producer	John Rutter, Tony Faulkner
Soprano Vocals	Caroline Ashton, Donna Deam, Nancy-Jane Rucker, Ruth Holton
Tenor Vocals	Paul Gordon

Notes

Recorded in Henry Wood Hall, London, May and October 1986

Barcodes

Barcode: 0 40888 05112 1
SPARS Code: DDD

About Members Of The Cambridge Singers Directed By John Rutter

English mixed voice chamber/choral group formed in 1981 by their director John Rutter with the primary purpose of making recordings under their own label "Collegium". The group initially comprised former singers from Clare College, where Rutter had previously been the music director.

Name Vars

Cambridge Singers
Clare College Singers
Members Of The Cambridge Singers

Members

Jeremy Budd
Olive Simpson
Simon Davies
Julia Doyle
Grace Davidson
Sam Evans
Charlotte Mobbs
Charles Gibbs
Angus Smith
Kirsty Hopkins
Donald Greig
Donna Deam
Ruth Holton
Paul Sutton
Charles Pott
Gerald Finley
Fiona Clarke
Andrew Carwood
Caroline Ashton
Penny Vickers
Julian Walker
Susanna Spicer
Natanya Hadda
Frances Jellard
Simon Wall
Thomas Guthrie
Paul Badley
Mark Le Brocq
Nicholas Sears
Mary Hitch
Steven Harrold
Clare Wallace
Nancy-Jane Thompson
Mary Mure
Juliet Fraser
William Unwin
Patrick Craig
Stephen Douse
Ruth Massey
David Soar
Amy Haworth
Jonathan Saunders
John Harte
Reuben Thomas
Nicholas Wilson
Susan Gilmour Bailey
Abigail Smetham
Ben Breakwell
Jocelyn Miles
Jeremy Taylor
Andrew Hammond
Simone Mace
Peter Gritton
Patrick Lee-Browne
Karen Kerslake
Judith English
Nicola Barber
Julia Wilson-James
Robert Graham-Campbell
James Mure
Bruce Hamilton
Michael Chambers
Edward Caswell
Phyllida Hancock
Benjamin Thompson
Nancy-Jane Rucker
Lucy Winkett
Penelope Stow
Ruth Gomme
Ben Davies
Gareth Dayus-Jones
James Birchall
Alex Donaldson
Nicola-Jane Kemp
Karen Williams
Melanie Marshall
Paul Gordon
William Lee
Joanna Norman
Louise Kateck
Isabelle Adams
Elizabeth Weinberg
Susanna Watson
Harvey Brough

Interesting fact about Album

Here’s something cool: the album *Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers: Elizabethan Madrigals* by The Cambridge Singers isn’t just a collection of Renaissance-style music—it’s like stepping into a time machine. Directed by John Rutter, this 2003 release brings Elizabethan England to life with its lush harmonies and poetic lyrics. One standout fact? The track "The Silver Swan" is based on a poem that reflects on the fleeting nature of life, and it’s sung with such delicate precision that you can almost picture the swan gliding across a quiet lake. Plus, the album features some serious vocal talent, like bass Gerald Finley, who’s known for his operatic work worldwide. It’s not just music—it’s storytelling.