Janequin / Roy / Groffe - Moment Musical - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Fretwork explores the somewhat overlooked English musical dynasty. The grandson of an Italian immigrant family brought to England under Henry VIII's reign, Thomas Lupo (1571-1627) was a talented composer, viol player and violinist who served in the Royal Court from the age of 16 until his death. His consort music for viols demonstrates a variety of moods and musical devices, with a clear parallel in places to some of the three-part music by his friend and colleague Orlando Gibbons. In 2021, Fretwork celebrates it's 35th anniversary. In the past three and a half decades they have explored the core repertory of great English consort music, from Taverner to Purcell, and made classic recordings against which others are judged. In addition to this, Fretwork have become known as pioneers of contemporary music for viols, having commissioned over 40 new works. The list of composers is like the role call of the most prominent writers of our time George Benjamin, Michael Nyman, Sir John Tavener, Gavin Bryars, Elvis Costello, Alexander Goehr, John Woolrich, Orlando Gough, Fabrice Fitch, Peter Sculthorpe, Sally Beamish, Tan Dun, Barry Guy, Andrew Keeling, Thea Musgrave, Simon Bainbridge, Poul Ruders, John Joubert, Duncan Druce and Nico Muhly. The group now frequently presents programmed consisting entirely of contemporary music.

Ensemble Clement Janequin - Au Sainct Nau [COMPACT DISCS] date 11/18/2014

Already in ancient times people played with the proximity of love and war. Thus the goddess of love Venus deceives her husband Vulcanus with the god of war Mars, and the Roman poet Ovid writes in his Amores the winged word InchMilitat omnis amansInch (Every lover is a soldier in war). These conditions were also reflected musically in modern times, when the masters of the 16th century emphasized sometimes more the warlike, sometimes more the amorous playfulness of love in their works. In it's latest album for COVIELLO, the Ensemble thélème also unfolds a fascinating panorama of musical states of mind of past times. The ensemble thélème specializes in the performance of early music. thélème, founded in 2013 by Artistic Director, Jean-Christophe Groffe, is largely made up of musicians who graduated from the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. The name of the ensemble refers to the utopia described by François Rabelais at the end of his novel Gargantua. Thélème is a hexagonal five-story Renaissance chateau built with precious materials. At Thélème, there is no outer wall, no clock. What is the point of worrying what time it is when we are not dependent on time, when we decide ourselves when we will get up, eat, work, or dedicate ourselves to the pleasure of conversation? The name alone says it all the Greek InchtheloInch means InchI wantInch, so thélème can be translated as Inchfree willInch.