Gervaise: Galliarde de la Guerre

Compositions descriptive of battles form a minor but distinctive category of music from the 16th to the early 19th centuries. Battle music in the Baroque period was appreciated for its expressive and dramatic potential. It often used fragments of real military music, as well as the obvious trumpet fanfares and rallying cries. The potent and acclaimed cornetto ensemble Concerto Palatino team up with some of Montreal's finest early music performers to whip up a storm in these Baroque battle scenes.

The Festival Montréal Baroque takes place every year in June, in the neighborhood of Old Montreal. The founder and director of the festival, gambist Susie Napper, infuses this event with a festive air, concocting unusual and original programs. As an associate of the festival, ATMA co-produces certain concerts, which are then recorded. This sample disc, signaling the approach of Montréal Baroque 2005, presents extracts from recordings made at previous festivals, some of which have not yet been released.