Ursibel Tome 1 : Fils de la Grande Ourse

Beauty Farm is a 2014 founded vocal group focused on the Franco-Flemish polyphony of the renaissance. The international ensemble is based in the Carthusian Monastery at Mauerbach (Austria). The singers are members of well known ensembles like Capilla flamenca, Huelgas Ensemble, Vox Luminis, Collegium Vocale Gent and Graindelavoix. On this extensive release, the ever-acclaimed vocal quartet presents four masses of Pierre de la Rue, all composed during the composer's last creative period. Pierre de la Rue is one of the most fascinating and yet most elusive members of the talented generation of composers from around 1500. On the works recorded here he demonstrates his complete polyphonic skills and thus gives the melancholy an intellectual, complex nuance. The necessary lightness is provided by the voices of Bart Uvyn, Hans Jörg Mammel, Hannes Wagner and Joachim Höchbauer.

‘Luther’s Wedding Day’ attempts to reconstruct a programme of music that may have been played at the great German religious reformer’s marriage. It is performed by the highly-regarded early music ensemble Capella de la Torre and its leader/musical director Katharina Bauml. The disc features pieces by some of the greatest composers of the time including Josquin Desprez, Heinrich Isaac, Ludwig Senfl, and Johann Walter.