This entertainingly titled disc tells the story of the phantom pregnancy of Queen Mary in April 1555, when excitement was high that a male heir to the Catholic throne had been born. It turned out to be a false hope, but in drawing together a selection of relevant sacred and secular music, the harmonious voices of Gallicantus create a strong narrative. Court songs from the Mulliner Book, motets for liturgical feast days, a long, newly reconstructed litany and two settings by John Sheppard of “Vain, all our life” provide a melancholy commentary on the unfulfilled promise of the time. The ensemble’s male singers are joined by soprano and lute, all well-blended.
