Christophorus Colombus

Dedicated to Tsar Alexander I and his family, this album of chamber music by Western European musicians presents the musical activities of the Russian court at the beginning of the 19th century. The Pleyel Trio, made up of Russia's best period instrument players, dynamically captures the various aspects of classical musicians, from composers active in Russia such as Hessler to Hummel, who made an enthusiastic tour of Russia, and Beethoven, who dedicated works in Vienna.

One of the presumably unfixable problems in the classical recording industry is that the lesser-known works and composers receive the least marketing attention. So a recording, even a pretty good one, of sacred songs by 16th-century composer Balduin Hoyoul is likely to go totally unnoticed, buried in the early music bins of a handful of classical CD stores. It’s particularly unfortunate in this case, because the music, a collection of 20 motets (17 are performed here) titled Sacrae cantiones, is of a consistently superior quality, reaching its peak in the later works in six parts.

The vocal ensemble Cantus figuratus has emerged from Dominique Vellars's teaching activities at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis and is primarily made up of students of medieval song. The ensemble has for many years concentrated on sacred works of the thirteenth to sixteenth centuries and has several CDs to its credit. The present CD represents the ensemble's first venture into Spanish music of the Renaissance. In accordance with the post-1500 Spanish tradition of providing vocal parts with instrumental support from the alta capella, Cantus figuratus has been augmented for this production by instrumentalists from the Les Haulz et les Bas ensemble.

The German "Lautenschläger" were known throughout Europe for their complex compositions and high level of playing technique. One of them was Hans Judenkönig, who was one of the most important pioneers of German Renaissance music. In 1523, Judenkönig published Ain schone künstliche Underweisung, an early school in German lute tablature with many exemplary pieces. It forms the core of this informative program with Max Hattwich, which takes us into the music rooms of the bourgeois and aristocratic houses of the German Renaissance.

The viol consort Les Escapades takes the listener on a journey through a wondrous night with its dreams and visions. In the mild light of the moon, thoughts fly and we meet dream creatures and fairies in the nocturnal entourage from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Music from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Impressionist periods will be heard, some of which the ensemble has arranged especially for itself. For example, Gabriel Faure's famous "Apres un rIve" or Claude Debussy's "RIverie" are performed in a completely new and unusual sound, played on the delicate gut strings of a baroque viol consort.