The "singing swans" in the title of this disc seem to be just one of a group of nature images in a group of little sacred songs from two Dutch composers of the early seventeenth century, Jan Baptist Stalpart van der Wiele and Guillelmus de Swaen. The booklet and texts are in Dutch only, which will be a disappointment for those not conversant with that language -- the music is not covered in this history and is quite unlike anything else of its time. Each piece is intended for a different saint's day of the Catholic liturgical year and is sung by a small vocal group, either a cappella or lightly accompanied by a recorder and viol or lute, sometimes with organ. The texts are strophic, and the charm of the music resides in its utter lack of solemnity -- it lies somewhere between an English madrigal, an earlier French chanson, and a German chorale, but it's definitely closer to the first two, with chordal textures broadening out into lightly polyphonic cadences. Quite a surprise for music associated with the solemn feasts of Catholicism! The performers are top-notch Dutch early music specialists, and the bright colors and intonational confidence of the singing support the sprightly quality of the whole. Unusual and highly listenable sacred music on its own, and definitely a strong candidate for release in international editions.