The Five Mediæval Lyrics are settings of fourteenth and fifteenth century english texts which have a tremendous immediacy. The strong, almost percussive, sound of the middle english words gives rhythmic energy to the music, while the harmonic language borrows from the modal scales used both by mediæval and modern jazz musicians.

Three of the poems clearly relate to christmas: whether the first two do as well depends on what the listener hears in them. The opening poem Dronken pokes fun at Tabart who, along with everyone else, has had a little too much wine: things are fine as long as he stands very still, but not if he tries to move... Maiden in the mor lay is an innocent poem in praise of a maiden who spends a week on the moor, but the way in which nature offers her food, drink and comfort among the flowers, makes this feel like a poem in praise of the Virgin Mary. In Nowel, nowel, nowel the references to Mary are very clear, as the joyful refrain alternates with verses in which she looks forward to mothering the infant Jesus. In rather more earthy vein Syre Christemas celebrates the joys of christmas, with an affectionate nod to religious symbolism, and a wholehearted delight in the excuse for a celebration. Tyrle, tyrlo tells the story of the shepherds, and brings the whole cycle to a close with an exortation to “Sing and make good cheer, in the worship of God this year”