The Gloria is delightfully sprung...the sense of uninhibited joy and praise is exhilarating...Bethany Seymour's glorious soprano is subtle but unaffected, especially in some striking ornaments...Sally Bruce-Payne is remarkably countertenorish, entrancing in a slow, tender Agnus Dei...this excellent performance ranks among the best.

the Yorkshire Bach Choir and Baroque Soloists again respond alertly and open-heartedly in the full ensemble, which is where the greatest rewards are reaped. Directness affords the soaring choruses of the Gloria a rare luminosity, and to those of the Credo added ingredients of space and elegance, among the bustle of contrapuntal sparring. Much of the momentum is also achieved by judicious decisions on spaces between movements

the pacing emphasises the joyful nature of the words and music and I like it. In all this Seymour is supported excellently by his choir. The chorus is flexible and I like very much the fresh, clean tone they produce with just the right amount of body in the bass line. At all times the singing is clear and the choral contribution is an asset in this performance.

There are some stellar recordings of Bach’s great Mass around, but this spirited performance from Peter Seymour’s York-based forces shouldn’t sink with trace. Plus points: warm-toned, well sustained choral singing; meticulously articulated instrumental work (Yorkshire Baroque Soloists); and Peter Harvey’s world-class bass solos.