In Principio

L'Enigma Della Vita (The Enigma of Life) is the third album by Logos, an Italian prog band from Verona that was formed in 1996. A long time has passed from their previous work Asrava, from 2001, but during all these years the band never stopped and kept on working on the new compositions, refining them, recording them without pressure nor hurry, with care, determination and love. The result is an excellent concept album conceived as a long suite about the life, nature and time passing by, a mature work where the band showcase great musicianship and personality blending vintage sounds, poetry and new ideas. The beautiful artwork by Luca Zerman and all the images that you can find in the booklet perfectly fit the poetical strength of the lyrics and the evocative power of the music.

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) remains best known as a composer of virtuosic instrumental music, particularly in the form of concertos like The Four Seasons. This CD, first released in 1991, demonstrates that Vivaldi’s large-scale sacred choral music is equally stunning.

Considered as one of the most important Spanish composers of his time, together with Victoria and Morales, Guerrero’s music has very rarely been recorded. This magnificent music comes now to the light in its full splendour and glory. This CD contains motets and hymns chosen primarily for their great interest and outstanding quality. The purity and the spirit of this music deserve to be discovered by the most exigent music lovers.

Nicolas Lebègue, the principal organist of King Louis XIV from 1678 until his death in 1702, represents the first state of perfection for the French organ. Alternating great virtuoso pieces worthy of the pomp of Versailles, inspired Noëls and poetic elevations, these Vêpres de Noël (Christmas Vespers) showcase the traditional alternation of vocal pieces, as practised by nuns in Paris, Port-Royal or the Filles-Dieu who attended to prisoners sentenced to death: Lebègue’s motets for single voice, and the plain-chant composed by Nivers for use in Paris. All the atmosphere of this “French-style” nativity is recreated with generosity and beauty under the direction of Nicolas Bucher, on the keys of the Great Organ of the Chapelle Royale.

Gioseffo Zarlino (1517–1590), a priest, was maestro di cappella at San Marco for the last 25 years of his life, following Adrian Willaert and Cypriano de Rore. A year after arriving at San Marco, he published this book of 13 motets for six voices. These motets are being published this year (2013) in a modern edition by Cristle Collins Judd, the annotator of this disc, along with four motets for four voices published a year later (not recorded here).

Here, four exceptional Grands Motets composed by Lully to the greatest glory of Louis XIV have been brought together: Plaude Laetare Gallia was performed in 1668 as a jubilant celebration of the birth of his first son, the Grand Dauphin; Benedictus is a piece of extraordinary architecture that transcends the sacred drama; Notus in Judea Deus, composed in 1685 shortly before Lully's death, is a true victory song celebrating the glory of God; finally, Domine Salvum fac Regem, an energetic "God save the King", was systematically sung in honour of the sovereign. The sublime Magnificat by Henry Du Mont, who was in charge of the Music of the King's Chapel until 1683, adds yet more splendour. Stephane Fuget has brought together the best performers, a veritable "army of generals" with a vast choir composed of exceptional singers, to bring these legendary pieces back to life amid the magnificence of Versailles.