O Globo 5 de Agosto de 2015

A treasure-house of the grand master of sixteenth-century musical calligraphy, the choirbooks of Petrus Alamire contain some stupendous and hitherto unpublished polyphonic works. Through the hand of the dedicated humanist that was Alamire – famous as a “guardian of the books” and as a spy within the most influential courts of the Renaissance, including those of Marguerite of Austria in Malines, Henry VIII of England and Charles V – the Huelgas Ensemble and Paul Van Nevel trace a portrait of this brilliant humanist in a programme that will take you to the very heart of the secrets of Renaissance polyphony.

This live recording made on January 31, 2002 at the Liceu Theater in Barcelona is already a cornerstone of any Monteverdi discography. Previously only available on DVD from Opus Arte, this multi-channel SACD version reveals the full scale of Jordi Savall's inspiration. Beautifully executed by La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Le Concert des Nations, and a cast of soloists that includes Furio Zanasi, Sara Mingardo, and the late Montserrat Figueras, this is a release to treasure.

Not surprisingly, Jean-Pierre Rampal’s recordings for Erato during the 1970s – when he was at the top of his career – encompass an immense repertoire, with a special emphasis on discoveries, whether in baroque, classical or romantic flute literature. Still a model today for flutists and flute lovers all over the world, his incomparable sound, spectacular brilliance and fabulous artistry made many albums legendary. Beyond their sheer beauty, the immense joy of music-making they communicate and the excitement they generate make these performances simply unforgettable.

Among the different practices of the Renaissance, the act of singing to the accompaniment of the lyre held a special symbolic role, linked to the myth of Orpheus and to the divine figure of Apollo. With its origins in the mid-15th century, this recitation of epic and lyrical texts initially took the form of monophonic music accompanied by the lira da braccio. With the invention of the lirone in the years around 1500, the role of the accompaniment develops into the recitative style of the 1600s which led to the development of the earliest operas.

Coeur de Pirate is a Québécoise singer/songwriter and pianist who made her acclaimed eponymous album debut in 2008 and eventually rose to Top Five success in France the following year with her smash hit single "Comme des Enfants." Born Beatrice Martin on September 22, 1989, in Quebec, Canada, she began playing piano at age three and was educated in Montreal. She began her recording career in 2007, posting demo versions of her songs on MySpace. Around this same time, she began playing keyboards in the acclaimed Montreal-based indie pop band Bonjour Brumaire.