Every year selected singers from cathedral, church and school choirs take part in Eton Choral Courses, from which the conductor Ralph Allwood further cherry-picks the elite Rodolfus Choir.

They make a light, bright, exciting sound as evidenced by this terrific double CD of Monteverdi's Vespers. There is real spring in their tone, particularly in the Nisi Dominus, and crystal diction throughout. The solo voices have a youthful plaintiveness- enjoy the balancing tenors over the walking lute in Laetatus Sum. Margaret Faultless leads the excellent Southern Sinfonia, while the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble add a princely lustre to the worship.