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See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | The Birth of the Violin
Baptiste Romain (renaissance violin & direction) Le Miroir De Musique Smaller stringed instruments began to be developed during the first half of the 16th century, maturing little by little into the vyollon, a term first employed at the court of Savoy in 1523. It was at this time that violins first began to appear in paintings, one of which is the fresco by Gaudenzio Ferrari that appears on the cover of this CD. The works recorded here put this period into a clear musical context and provide a fine array of contrasting works for these first violins: on one hand, there are not only works from the Franco-Flemish school that had been flourishing in Italy since the middle of the 15th century, but also works from the pure Italian style that was in the process of being reborn. Motets, ricercars, counterpoints, madrigals and dances are all discovered anew and extend our knowledge of period instruments even further. This, after all, is one of Ricercar’s principal aims. This recording introduces the Miroir de Musique, an ensemble of young players, the majority of whom studied at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. We are proud to present an exciting programme of works performed by musicians who are able to ally musicology with emotion. | 
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| |  | Johannes Regis - Choral Works
“….this is a master of the first rank…Edward Wickham's choice of tempi is sure-footed, as a result of which most details simply fall into place...Listen to his marvellous Puisque ma dame, not only one of the most unusual songs of its time , but also an instantly seductive one: I bet you’ll be hooked…Add the stylish presentation and an informative text, and the project makes the leap from self-recommending to essential listening: wonderful.” Gramophone Magazine, July 2009 “Johannes Regis is certainly not a household name, mainly because very little of his music survives, far less than for the two figureheads of his generation, Ockeghem and Busnoys.
Scholars have rated him for many years, but for lovers of early polyphony, the chance to hear his output in the round will be indeed be a treat, because this is a master of the first rank who sounds quite unlike either of his more famous colleagues. Listen to his marvellous Puisque ma dame, not only one of the most unusual songs of its time, but also an instantly seductive one.
The best-known part of his output, and the one that proved the most influential, is his motets. Most are on texts that were rarely set, or even specially written. The Christmas motet O admirabile commercium is at once boldly conceived and playful, intricately detailed but punctuated by well staged, memorable gestures; and his Ave Maria…Virgo serena probably inspired Josquin's earliest surviving masterpiece. Then there are the Masses: the one on L'homme armé is perhaps the more immediately outgoing, a worthy contribution to an illustrious tradition; but the more reflective Ecce ancilla/Ne timeas Mass grows in stature with repeated listening.
However little music survives, one senses that with Regis, as with Ockeghem, each work explores, and resolves, its own set of challenges.
Much of this has been recorded once before in performances of real value, but the cumulative effect of hearing it all done by a single group yields a different level of insight. That the group in question is on top form is more than a bonus. Edward Wickham's choice of tempi is sure-footed, as a result of which most details simply fall into place. The close recording captures the energy and zest with which they tackle the music. Add the stylish presentation and an informative text, and the project makes the leap from self-recommending to essential listening: wonderful.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
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Gramophone Magazine