Laurent Delteil

Eleven musicians, led by Laurent Tixier - singer and instrumentalist - and Miguel Henry - arranger, lute player and conductor, have selected and performed the finest musical works from the Vendee's oral heritage, in an orchestration faithful to the spirit of Baroque music.

The Dutch don't treat their composers very well. Many years ago Dutch and Belgian radio started a project about Carolus Hacquart, but although a number of his works were recorded, very few of them ever made it to disc, and since things have remained quiet around this composer. There is no reason to ignore him as his music is of very good quality; something the present disc goes to prove.It seems Hacquart was born around 1643 in Brughes and received his first musical education as a choirboy there and later in Ghent. He studied viola da gamba and organ and moved to the United Dutch Provinces, first to Rotterdam, where he worked as a freelance musician and music teacher.

Although he naturally composed a great deal for the organ, Vierne was also a great symphonist, an outstanding colourist and melodist. A complete musician, he composed about ten works of chamber music, refined and inherited from his romantic masters (Wagner, Widor and Franck mainly). Also an accomplished pianist, he loves to accompany singers and instrumentalists and knows how to subtly marry timbres, as this recording shows.