Stephan Labossier

We not only relied on interpretations of well-known standards, but also collected ideas for our own pieces in the run-up to the recordings, which bring our respective handwriting to life even more clearly. It was great fun to play our music, which was already recorded after two afternoons. The reason is that we always took the fresher sounding “first take”.

"Josquin was the most emblematic composer of his time, famous throughout Europe for his compositions both secular and sacred. This recording explores those two aspects of his output, which are more closely related than one might think. Here in a small line-up, Gli Angeli Genève deliver a virtuoso vocal performance that is sensitive and empathetic. With only two voices per part, they play on the timbre and individuality of each voice, and thus create an intimacy and a meditative mood that invite the listener to share with the singers in the deeply moving humanity of Josquin’s music."

In Mozart’s day, the vocal typologies that we know today were yet to be established. Women were sopranos, castrati were castrati, and Mozart wrote for personalities and vocal colours rather than for abstract voice types.