La Nereide - Il Concerto Segreto - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Since the creation of their ensemble La Nereide in 2019, the three sopranos Camille Allerat, Julie Roset and Ana Vieira Leite have wanted to tell stories about women, women who are courageous, vulnerable, passionate, powerful, secretive - and sometimes all of these at once. Le Coeur et la Raison imagines the fate of a young noblewoman sent to the Demoiselles de Saint-Cyr, where she received a meticulous education, particularly in music; she took part in services and sang works by it's organist Louis-Nicolas Clerambault (1676-1749) - including his magnificent Miserere - and by Jean-Francois Lalouette (1651-1728), a pupil of Lully. When she returned to her family, however, she sang the melodies of fashionable court airs, which she then shared with her fellow students at Saint-Cyr, to the great disapproval of the religious authorities. She and her colleagues then rewrote the song texts transforming the declarations of love into statements of faith. Today, these three friends and artists present an emotionally charged programme, accompanied by a first-rate instrumental trio.

Alessandro Grandi is widely regarded as one of the finest composers from Italy in the early 17th century but his music itself is little known. This premiere recording of his 16 Motets for Five Voices rectifies that and demonstrates his extraordinary musical powers. Also on the CD are musical items from the soundtrack of the film/live/multimedia work InchFallenInch, a collaboration between Musica Secreta and playwright Fiona Mackie.

Today the leading track InchSomewhere Up In The MountainsInch is considered to be a true genre classic. It's lyrics are quite unusual. Drummer Gary Pope explains how the song was originally created InchI wrote the lyrics and arranged it with my brother Kevin. To be honest, I thought it much too commercial for the NWOBHM. I do love a good hook/chorus. Inch According to Gary, Marquis de Sade (and their forerunner Mixdix) only ever recorded the two single tracks plus InchLiving In The Ice AgeInch, InchWelcome To The GraveyardInch and InchLondon AirInch. All six tracks that Marquis de Sade have ever recorded are featured on the High Roller album InchSomewhere Up In The MountainsInch. As usual the material has been carefully re-mastered by Patrick W. Engel at this Temple Of Disharmony.