Baptiste Romain, director of the ensemble Le Miroir de Musique, has just been appointed professor at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. To mark this occasion, he enriches the ‘Instruments’ series on the Ricercar label with a recital devoted to the medieval vielle (bowed fiddle): troubadour songs and dances and polyphonic compositions from the thirteenth to the fifteenth centuries illustrate the various stages in the evolution of this instrument, the ancestor of the violin.
Une histoire de la musique classique sous un angle féministe, de Cassienne de Constantinople à Clara Schumann en passant par Hildegarde de Bingen et Hélène de Montgeroult. L'auteure explique les nombreuses interdictions dont elles ont été l'objet, les obligeant à se cantonner au rôle de muse. Avec, à la fin de chaque chapitre, des recommandations musicales. …
Three CD set. Following 2021's Musik Music Musique 2. 0 set, the third volume in the series looks at the electronic pop scene as it came to dominate the airwaves. A period which saw the 1980's credible musical landscape evolve from gritty post-punk to shamelessly aspirational polished pop. Featuring countless artists who would become household names (many of which remain active today) alongside lesser-known scene mainstays, independent innovators and novelty opportunists, Musik Music Musique 3. 0 explores the evolution of synth pop from anything resembling a 'scene' into the standard musical form of the day, soon to be embraced by everybody from power balladeers to quasi-rock stadium acts. From chart staples and nightclub anthems to rarities, curios and collectables, this set gives equal airtime to all, basking in the breadth of ideas and innovation being explored as the musical world moved towards the mid-80s.
Bastille Musique presents its first release »Claude Vivier: Kopernikus« in a brilliant SWR studio recording by the Opera Factory Freiburg, the Holst-Sinfonietta and Klaus Simon (conductor). Besides the CD containing Vivier’s masterful chamber opera from 1980, which he called opéra-rituel de mort, the lavish package includes a 64-pages trilingual booklet (EN, FR, DE) and three photo leaflets with previously unpublished pictures of Claude Vivier as well as the artists during a staged performance.
When Martial Solal looks for American musicians as partners for a trio session, he goes for the best: Teddy Kotick and Paul Motian in 1963 at Newport, Johnson and Erskine here, Gary Peacock and Motian again in 1997 in Paris. Of course the virtuoso pianist's music is difficult to play and requires mature sidemen and consummate instrumental technicians. But everyone knows that a summit meeting can never guarantee an optimal musical result. On this track, which Solal penned specially for this record, the relationship between the three masters is good, but there's a slight sense of stiffness that prevents the music from flowing effortlessly. The song is interestingly melodic, with a somewhat Ellingtonian feel at times. Solal is in a comparatively discreet mood, refraining from his frequent virtuoso streaks. Johnson and Erskine have short solo spots, and are as musical as ever as accompanists. But one can't help thinking that if this studio session had been recorded after a couple of live dates, the empathy between the players and the intensity of the music would have benefited.
Born in 1970, Guillaume Connesson has won several prestigious awards. His writing, thanks to an exceptional sense of rhythm and color, is of a very accessible language, even exciting, which has earned him great success, especially with the younger generations. The program of this double CD is the richest possible calling card of the composer's work: it contains his most beautiful pages of chamber music, interpreted by the very best of French soloists, including Eric Le Sage. (piano), Paul Meyer (clarinet) Jerôme Pernoo (cello), Florent Héau (clarinet) and the Parisii Quartet in particular.
Featuring Ultravox, Duran Duran, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Devo, Yello, Peter Baumann, Richard Bone, Japan and many others.
Following 2020’s ‘Musik Music Musique’ set, we present the sequel, this time looking at the electronic pop scene as it evolved from curio and novelty into a major movement and began to dominate the airwaves. Featuring a plethora of acts who would quickly become household names (many of which endure today) and exploring the wide variety of directions electronic instruments took both the mainstream and independent music in. ‘Musik Music Musique 2.0’ embraces both the pure pop aesthetic of a new generation of aspirational, defiantly polished artists and those who embraced electronic music in the aftermath of the post-punk explosion…