Per Clavicembalo Moderno [dux]

Talented concert soloist Milena Frigé presents the toccatas of Scarlatti on the Tamburini Organ of Chiesa di Santa Bernardetta in Milan, and a Granziera Harpsichord modelled after a 1703 Grimbaldi instrument, representative of the instruments for which Scarlatti composed these works.

We all know we should recreate our soul and become more relaxed. Stress is a contributing factor in many health problems: high blood pressure, overeating, diabetes, heart disease, etc. What is good for the soul is good for the body and vice versa. In this rush-rush world of ours, maybe we have not taken enough time to think about recreation of our souls, what it means and how to acquire it. When we are at peace within, we are at peace with others. No doubt this has an overall impact on our overal health. Let's therefore listen to some relaxing music for recreating our soul. This music will help us to fight stress and to find relaxation.

Messiaen’s most famous work, Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time), was composed while a captive in a German prisoner of war at Stalag VIII A, located near the town of Görlitz-Moys in Silesia, Germany. Messiaen met there three fellow prisoners who were also accomplished musicians: Etienne Pasquier, a world-class cellist who had already secured an international reputation as a member of the Pasquier Trio; Jean Le Bou-laire, a violinist who had studied at the Paris Conservatory; and Henri Akoka, a clarinetist who was a member of the Paris-based Orchestre National de la Radio. Together, this unusual ensemble formed the basis for one of the most extraordinary works of the 20th century.

Roraima, by Norwegian bassist and composer Sigurd Hole, was commissioned by Oslo World for the festival in 2020. The work reflects themes such as solidarity and ecological vulnerability and draws inspiration from the creation myth of the Yanomami people and the sound of the Amazon rainforest.

Per Nørgård (b. 1932) is regarded by many as Denmark's greatest living composer, with some of his music being hard edged and difficult to approach. This music on this disc will not suit everyone, it is quite difficult to understand where the composer is going at times, and in the case of the "Plutonian Ode", which is for soprano and solo cello, I found little to like, perhaps it is because the first two sections are for recitation, but I found it just grates with me! This is not to say that there isn't anything to like here, on the contrary, the disc opens with his "Two Recitatives Op. 16" which sets texts by the Swedish poet, playwright and novelist, Pär Fabian Lagerkvist.

The Cistercian order was born at the end of the 11th century around the new monastery of Cîteaux and developed by Bernard of Clairvaux in the following years. Their aim was to return to the basics of the austere Benedictine rule, as opposed to the less stricter developments that had taken place around Cluny. These ideas quickly spread around Europe, producing great architecture and great liturgical music, devoid of embellishments and flourishments then considered unnecessary. Sabine Lutzenberger and her Ensemble PER-SONAT presents the sounds of Cistercian monasteries all around Europe.