The Harvard-Radcliffe Music Club's program Sunday night was remarkable for three reasons; its infrequency of performance, its historical importance, and its enjoyable music. The concert consisted entirely of sacred music of the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries. Music of this early period has several unfamiliar features which makes it difficult to grasp at first hearing. Landini cadences (familiar to all Music 1 students) appear frequently and contrast with the more modern dominant-tonic resolution. And the rather empty open fifth chords are a welcome relief after the lush harmonies of more recent composers.

Director James Bolle wisely presented the program in reverse chronological order, so that the more accessible pieces would be played first. Neither the Buxtehude nor the Schein works are particularly startling, and they put the audience in a receptive mood for what was to follow. A good part of the credit must go to soprano Faith Barnett, whose crystal-clear voice, especially in the higher registers, and sensitive phrasing made her the outstanding soloist of the evening.

The chorus members got off to a shaky start in the Palestrina. They all appeared to be holding back, with the result that enunciation, tone quality, and interpretation were uniformly poor. However, they proved their worth by a spirited reading of Obrecht's Motet--a work which is not so good as the Palestrina, but which sounded better. This dozen singers do have excellent voices when they are willing to let themselves go, and they had no trouble in projecting the difficult music.

Bolle obtained all of the selections in manuscript from, which means that Sunday's performance was a rare one. The major recording companies, as well as most professional artists, shy away from pre-Bachian music because of its dubious commercial value. Small organizations like the Harvard-Radcliffe group can gratify music lovers and students alike by continuing to wander off the beaten track. --lower case