Good conductors will tell a choir that the words are just as important as the music; there's no point in singing if you can't be understood. Stephen Layton has drilled his singers to perfection in this trio of Handel's Chandos Anthems, making every word distinct and every crisp consonant a taut springboard on which to propel Handel's irresistible rhythm, aided by some wonderfully tight playing from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. Thomas Hobbs is the stand-out soloist, his delightfully light and easy tenor perfect for this repertoire.