This recording is, in my opinion, one of the most impressive performances of Renaissance choral music ever. The Voices of Ascension, directed by Dennis Keene, give performances of great beauty, with perfect blend and  expressivity. Every single number is a musical delight. The selection of  the program is a real asset. The listener has an overview of some of the  most famous motets by such masters as Palestrina, Victoria, Lassus, Desprez  and others. There is room for all kind of religious mood: from the solemn,  meditative tone of Byrd's Ave Verum Corpus and Victoria's Jesu, Dulcis  Memoria to the exultant, festive tone of Sweelinck's Hodie Christus Natus  Est. Keene makes some interesting changes in tempo. In O Magnum Mysterium,  one of the most famous motets of Toms Luis de Victoria, the final Alleluia  part is faster than the way it is normally done. The effect is haunting: a  festive chorus of praise after a solemn meditation on the Incarnation of  Christ. These interpretations are not only excellent in an musical way. The  singers and director convey the mystical and devotional aspects of these  jewels of the choral repertoire.