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

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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.

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

Table of Contents

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Filename: members-of-the-cambridge-singers-directed-by-john-rutter.zip
  • MP3 size: 86.1 mb
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Tracks

TrackDurationPreview
Adieu, Ye City-Prisoning Towers2:10
Sleep, Fleshly Birth6:05
Too Much I Once Lamented6:20
Fyer, Fyer!2:15
Though Amaryllis Dance In Green2:10
Dainty Fine Bird1:58
The Silver Swan1:45
Now Is The Month Of Maying1:55
Quick, Quick, Away, Dispatch!3:06
Draw On, Sweet Night4:55
Round About In A Fair Ring0:55
Flora Gave Me Fairest Flowers1:30
This Sweet And Merry Month Of May2:28
Adieu, Sweet Amaryllis3:10
Hark, All Ye Lovely Saints Above3:15
My Bonny Lass She Smileth2:05
Ha Ha! This World Doth Pass1:48
Death Hath Deprived Me2:55
Lullaby2:05
Weep, Weep, Mine Eyes4:27
A Little Pretty Bonny Lass1:55

Images

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Catalog Numbers

CSCD 511

Labels

Collegium Records

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Formats

  • CD
  • Reissue

Companies

RoleCompany
Recorded AtHenry Wood Hall, London

Credits

RoleCredit
Alto VocalsAlex Donaldson, Melanie Marshall , Nicola-Jane Kemp, Peter Gritton
Bass VocalsCharles Pott, Gerald Finley, Nicholas Sears
DesignRowie Christopher
Directed ByJohn Rutter
Edited ByDavid Jacob
EngineerMichael Hatch, Tony Faulkner
EnsembleThe Cambridge Singers
ProducerJohn Rutter, Tony Faulkner
Soprano VocalsCaroline Ashton, Donna Deam, Nancy-Jane Rucker, Ruth Holton
Tenor VocalsPaul 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.