Influenced by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the Irish composer Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) developed an English Romantic musical language of his own. This is noticeable especially in his three Latin motets in which a typically 'English' tone prevails which is characterized by extremely flowing melodies, smooth harmonies and great singability and rather avoids any stark contrasts. Together with Edward Elgar and Hubert Parry, Stanford greatly contributed to the renovation of English music. These three compositions are perfect for church services and concerts.