Polyphony

Psallentes - Missa Transfigurationis - Tournai, XVe-XVIe siècles (2015) {Musique en Wallonie Official Digital Download}
FLAC (tracks) - 44kHz/16 bit - Official Digital Download (qobuz.com) -> 319 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 155 Mb | Artwork | 5% repair rar
© 2015 Musique en Wallonie | MEW1576
Classical / Medieval / Early Music / Choral / Sacred Works

This CD from the ever-enterprising Belgian label, Musique en Wallonie, presents clean, clear, penetrating, yet appropriately emotionally-charged singing from Psallentes, the nine-person group from that country. They have captured the calm and the conviction of anonymous vocal works - including the beautiful Mass, Sancta Trinitas - from fifteenth and sixteenth century religious music of the region. The manuscripts (shelf-marked ‘BCT A 58’) are located in the cathedral of Tournai (also in Walloon) and were rediscovered in 2006 after having disappeared (and thought lost) at the end of the Second World War.

The Scarlatti family is one of many musical dynasties in music history. Only two of its number are still well-known today: Alessandro and his son Domenico. Alessandro was born in Palermo as the second son of Pietro Scarlata - the family name in its original form - who was active as a tenor. During his career Alessandro lived and worked in several cities: Rome, Naples and Venice. At a young age he was already a famous and much sought-after composer. His younger brother Francesco – almost forgotten today - was less lucky. He was appointed as violinist at the royal court in Naples in 1684, but returned to Palermo in 1691, and stayed there for about 24 years. He tried to find appointments at the courts of Vienna and Naples, but failed. In 1719 he travelled to London, where he participated in public concerts.

This reissue commemorates the 50th anniversary of Grainger’s death in February 1961. Harmonium, four guitars, two mandolas, two mandolins, two ukuleles, piccolo, three clarinets, bass clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon, two alto saxophones, horn, strings, piano, baritone and choir: and that’s just the scoring for one piece, the famous sea shanty Shallow Brown. Grainger’s Jungle Book cycle was recorded here (for the original Hyperion release) for the first time. The eleven contrasting movements vividly portray the sentiments of Kipling’s poetry and Grainger wrote of the cycle that it was ‘composed as a protest against civilization’.

Ligeti’s works on this disc provide an excellent cross-section of the metamorphosis in his compositional technique over a period of 30 years. The Violin Concerto incorporates influences from Medieval and Renaissance music, from late Romantic music and various contemporary styles.

This final LOiseau-Lyre set presents some of the most significant Medieval & Renaissance albums recorded by one of the most authoritative Early Music labels.

Anonymous 4 - Lily & The Lamb: Chant & polyphony from medieval England
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 288 MB | Full Artwork: 53 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Harmonia Mundi # HMU 907125 | Country/Year: Europe 1995
Genre: Classical | Style: Medieval

"The singing is absolutely gorgeous. Not only do the 4 sound like angels; they phrase and inflect seraphically as well. You need go no further than the 'O Gloriosa Domina' Processional that starts the program to hear their clear, handsome, seemingly effortless unanimity in action…'Stond wel, moder, under roode' took my breath away." – American Record Guide