Since the 1980s, the Hilliard Ensemble has released more than twenty albums on ECM. Shortly before its retirement, the British vocal ensemble completed its discography with its final recording, "Transeamus," a collection of polyphonic works from 15th-century England, comprising compositions for two, three, and four voices. Their first collaboration with ECM was dedicated to music from the court of Henry VIII; with "Transeamus," their musical journey through the centuries comes full circle.
The album brings together numerous favorites of the group from this period, including previously unreleased works from their concert programs by John Plummer, Walter Lambe, and William Cornysh. Many of the pieces are by composers whose names are now forgotten, yet the music impresses with its timeless expressiveness. Tenor David James describes it: "The harmonic sounds initially seem simple, but it is precisely this sonic transparency that creates a captivating effect." The concert concludes with Sheryngham's piece "Ach, sanfter Jesu" (Ah, gentle Jesus), about which little is known beyond his name. At first glance, it appears to be a simple dialogue between Christ on the cross and a repentant sinner, but the intensity of the music leaves both the audience and the ensemble with a feeling of speechless silence after the concert experience.