Clément Janequin

Star lutenist Paul O’Dette turns his focus on Marco dall’Aquila, a composer of remarkable individuality and creativity. In the lute’s transition from late-medieval style into fully formed Renaissance idiom, Marco was a pivotal figure and his trademark style brisé influenced the development of instrumental music for the next 200 years.

“If the lute could be said to have a star performer, then Paul O'Dette must surely be it. He's the most sought-after lute performer at music festivals round the world, his recordings are always showered with awards, and he has a virtuoso touch and musical intelligence that I've rarely seen matched.” The Daily Telegraph

"Nestled at the foot of the Gran Sasso, in the rugged Apennines northeast of Rome, lies the picturesque medieval city of L’Aquila. In 1569, the city commissioned a series of triumphal arches decorated with portraits of the most important citizens of L’Aquila in honor of the arrival of Margaret of Austria, who claimed governorship over the region. Two musicians were included among the most celebrated natives, Serafino Aquilano, the famous song stylist and lutenist of the late 15th-century, and the lute virtuoso Marco dall’Aquila (c.1480-1544). Marco appears to have spent most of his professional career in Venice. In 1505, he obtained a privilege from the Venetian Signoria to publish lute music, but Ottaviano Petrucci seems to have objected and Marco’s publication apparently never appeared but is now housed in the Bavarian State Library, Munich Mus Ms. 266. The pieces included here represent a selection from Munich 266, as well as the three works included in Casteliono’s print, arranged into sets alternating Ricercars or Fantasias with intabulations and dances as suggested by various 16th-century sources. The dances have also been arranged into suites, either involving variations of the same dance, or groups of dances of different meters and characters. Although not all of these works are attributed to Marco in the manuscript, they are all contained in a single fascicle in which the anonymous works are wedged in between works bearing Marco’s name. At 3:32 am on April 6, 2009, a powerful earthquake struck L’Aquila, destroying much of the historic town center and many of the beautiful medieval villages that surround the city. The producers and I originally planned to make this recording in L’Aquila, but when this proved impossible, we chose a medieval church near Capestrano, 45 kilometers south of L’Aquila. Shortly before our arrival it was discovered the church had also sustained structural damage and required immediate repairs. At the last minute, the Castello Piccolomini in Capestrano was kindly made available to us by the mayor, Antonio D’Alfonso. While the acoustics of the Castello are perhaps more reverberant than one is accustomed to hearing on lute recordings it is nevertheless a venerable edifice that Marco may well have known, and it lends a special air of historical presence to the sound. This recording is dedicated to the victims of the earthquake, those kind and brave Aquilani whose richly distinctive culture has nourished my exploration of Marco’s music for the past decade." Paul O’Dette, Capestrano, (AQ), 3 August 2009

All the music on this CD has a connection with Venice and the collection includes pieces by the contemporary composers Coolen and Vrolijk. Brisk works not only with musicians, but also with actors, directors and film makers for music theatre productions aimed at various audiences.

The Ensemble Clément Janequin has already explored several times the 'Cries', those Renaissance chansons built on a vast onomatopoeic repertory. Now, 28 years after their legendary Cris de Paris, they return to the genre and considerably expand the geography of their Cries, from Marseille to Valenciennes - and with a disconcerting facility for straddling periods and styles. Hear ye, hear ye! Founded in Paris in 1978 the Ensemble Clément Janequin devotes itself principally to the secular and religious music of the Renaissance. Its interpretations of the Parisian chanson are regarded as authoritative, and recordings of works like Les Cris de Paris, Le Chant des Oyseaulx, Fricassée Parisienne and La Chasse have brought back to life one of golden ages of French music.

"Ensemble Clément Janequin recordings have long been blessed with superb sound quality and this disc is no exception…wholly delightful." IRR

"Dominique Visse and his superb ensemble offer a programme of his wonderful songs, veering from the sacred to the sublime to the downright bawdy" The Independent

This beautiful set gathers for the first time Spanish and French instrumental dances from the XVIth and XVIIth Centuries scattered as 'interludes' in many Astrée and Alia Vox existing releases. It is a definitive overview of this repertoire and enables us to realise just how beautiful and irresistible this music can be. Given electric performances and virile repertoire, the Royal Minstrels offer uplifting experiences. Deluxe packaging and beautiful artwork as you would expect from Alia Vox…

Booklet: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Catalan

In 1509 one of the greatest Swedish painters, Albertus Pictor, passed away. On church walls and church ceilings, he has told the stories of the Bible and of the eternal questions of life through his art.

The same themes also inspired the composers of the time to move us with musical stories of the Virgin Mary, the life of Christ and of love, death, pain and joy in medieval and renaissance Europe. Medieval man constantly strived to ensure his place in heaven through prayers and good deeds.

Most of all, he turned to the Virgin Mary to pray for her intercession. Above Albertus Pictor’s self portrait in the church of Lid, where he paints himself as a fashion concious man in his prime, he has even written Memento mei Alberto pictor huius ecclesie – ”Remember me, Albertus, painter of this church”