With their compelling concept album The Road to Paradise, Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort take us on a medieval pilgrimage, a spiritual journey.

A cappella choral music by English composers of the 16th is contrasted with works by 20th-century composers in this unique programme depicting the desire for spiritual enlightenment that was the driving force behind the medieval pilgrimage. In medieval times, making a pilgrimage to a holy place was the ambition of many Christians, for whom it was regarded as the symbolic enactment of a lifetime's journey to a sacred resting place, undertaken through considerable physical effort.

The disc includes pieces by Byrd and Tallis, Britten and Holst among others, masterfully grouped to convey the sufferings of life, death, and a vision of the paradise beyond

With the ongoing popularity of medieval a cappella singing and the increased interest in spirituality, The Road to Paradise is a disc with commercial, lifestyle-oriented appeal - it is both a treat for fans of choral and early music as well as appropriate for a broad audience in search of relaxing, spiritual music.

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.