Review: Stile Antico *****

We are already fortunate in having many of the world's famous and long-established choral groups, but the young newcomers, Stile Antico, is arguably the finest this country has produced.

It was in York five years ago that I predicted the prizewinners in the Early Music International Network competition would one day achieve greatness, and they have even surpassed that.

Seemingly everything they perform is elevated to a new level of perfection, the balance between voices, intonation, clarity of articulation and tonal beauty are all impeccably achieved.

Without a conductor, they have to listen and work with one another to a much higher degree than their illustrious contemporaries, while the sopranos float those high passages devoid of that penetrating quality we often hear.

Monteverdi's gorgeous Missa in illo tempore was the major work in this opening concert in the Beverley Early Music Festival, a fine score that should stand next to the composer's celebrated Vespers of 1610, but it has sadly been neglected.

Its four sections were here interspersed with the more extroverted motets of Palestrina, including a resplendent performance of the virtuosic, Assumpta est Maria, and four haunting Plainchants.