Orto

On the 'Deutsche Harmonia Mundi' label - Following the critically acclaim of their previous release The Music Prints of Christopher Plantin, The Huelgas Ensemble, under the direction of Paul Van Nevel, return with their stunning new album The Ear of Christopher Columbus. This remarkable album features music from the late fifteenth century and the early fifteenth century that may have been heard by Christopher Columbus during the course of his lifetime. The Ear of Christopher Columbus takes the listener to a musical journey through the lifetime of the explorer, beginning with his Italian childhood.

On the 'Deutsche Harmonia Mundi' label - Following the critically acclaim of their previous release The Music Prints of Christopher Plantin, The Huelgas Ensemble, under the direction of Paul Van Nevel, return with their stunning new album The Ear of Christopher Columbus. This remarkable album features music from the late fifteenth century and the early sixteenth century that may have been heard by Christopher Columbus during the course of his lifetime. The Ear of Christopher Columbus takes the listener to a musical journey through the lifetime of the explorer, beginning with his Italian childhood. The Huelgas Ensemble are one of the most celebrated ensembles specialising in the performance of polyphonic music from the Medieval and Renaissance periods. Founded by artistic director Paul Van Nevel in 1971, the ensemble is well known worldwide for its inventive programming, particularly of unknown masterpieces.

Renaissance music for the Tenebrae constitutes an endless fund of passionate and evocative polyphony. The nature and design of the texts beautifully articulates the music, alternating the single letter that opens each section with more expansive music for the Lamentations proper and ending with the words ‘Jerusalem, convertere ad Dominum Deum tuum’. There is no clear explanation why Paul van Nevel chose these four particular settings, but they do show some of the range of styles adopted across the years, opening with the little-known set by Tiburtio Massaino (published in 1599) and ending with the superb Good Friday set that is among the last works of Lassus.