Amazon.comChanticleer, North America's only full-time, professional, all-male choir, prides itself on its widely varied repertoire, and here the group presents an ambitious program of Renaissance works, several of which are available on an earlier release, Chanticleer in Concert. Among the 20 selections are works by Josquin, Mouton, Lassus, Byrd, Perotin, Praetorius, and Taverner. Anonymous works include the ever-popular Spanish song "Riu, riu, chiu" and its frequent companion "E la don don." Most of these pieces are very difficult to sing, and Chanticleer manages the technical difficulties quite well. Stylistically, however, the performances lack distinction--while very pretty and respectful of the music's integrity, the ensemble's predominant trademark sound overrides everything else, giving this music the same character as works of later periods and performance styles. --David Vernier