Various Artists - French Symphonies / Various - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Johannes Kepler (1571 - 1630), the great mathematician and astronomer, was very much concerned all of his life with the connection between practical music and cosmology. He felt strongly that music mirrors the cosmos and used phrases such as Inchthe Song of the EarthInch and InchNature's secret whisperingInch. He broke from his contemporaries who thought that the motions of the planets and other heavenly bodies actually made sound, but thought that those motions and all of the geometry of the heavens were reflected in the most perfect polyphonic pieces of his time. Concerto Palatino proposes a program centered on the ideas of Johannes Kepler and the music of his lifetime. Taking Tui sunt coeli by Orlando di Lasso as a point of departure the group explores other polyphonic and polychoral music of Lasso and his contemporaries (Andrea Gabrieli, Lambert de Sayve, Hans Leo Hassler, etc.). In addition, they commissioned a new work for the project by the renowned composer Calliope Tsoupaki. Her new piece is called ASTRON (to the stars) and is based on a Delphic Hymn. For this project, Concerto Palatino was joined by a truly Inchstar-studdedInch lineup of singers Hana Blažíková and Barbora Kabátková, sopranos; Alex Potter, countertenor; Benedict Hymans and Jan van Elsacker, tenor; Tomáš Kral, baritone; and Jaromir Nosek, bass.

We bring together on two albums the most beautiful songs from Noël baroque, a by the Maîtrise de Radio France and Les Musiciens de Saint Julien under François Lazarevitch that has enjoyed great success in recent years, completed by Noëls en Pays d'Oc and other ancient Christmas carols. The second album presents excerpts from great sacred classical masterpieces (such as Handel's Messiah and Vivaldi's Gloria by Hervé Niquet, and Bach's B minor Mass by Raphaël Pichon) as well as instrumental pieces including Corelli's 'Christmas' Concerto by Amandine Beyer and excerpts from Bach's Brandenburg Concertos by Café Zimmermann and 'Winter' from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. An ideal programme of music to accompany Christmas Eve. This double album is presented in an elegant 'popup' that can be placed at the foot of the tree when the time comes!

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