Label: MUSICA FICTA 8001
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
SYMPHONIAE: Symphonia Prima a 3 Op. 3, XVIII; O Iesu Fili David a 5 Op. 3, XXVIII; Symphonia Secunda a 4 Op. 3, XXIII; Symphonia Sexta per violino solo Op. 1; Symphonia Prima a 4 Op. 3, XXII; Sicut misit me a 5 Op. 3, XXX; Symphonia Octava «Den lustelijcken Mey» Op. 3, XII; Symphonia Quarta per violino & viola Op. 1; Ad te suspiro a 5 Op. 2; Pavana Dolorosa a 6 Op. 4, XXVI; Sub tuum pr'sidium Op. 2; Symphonia Undecima per violino solo Op. 1; Symphonia Quarta supra Cuc cuc, vel Sol, mi Op. 2; Cantate Domino a 5 Op. 2; Symphonia Secunda per violino solo Op. 2; Symphonia Prima a 3 Op. 1; Maria Mater Gratie a 5 Op. 3, XXXI; Symphonia Septima a 3 supra Ciaconna Op. 1 - Celine Scheen, soprano; Stephan Van Dyck, tenor; Dirk Snellings, bass; Ensemble Clematis/Stephanie de Failly

Very little is known about him. All that is known is that he was born around 1600, organist at the Saint-Gudule Church in Brussels from 1626 onwards. Nicolaus a Kempis was a witness, nothing more than a virtual anonymous witness at the crossroads of Flemish and Italian music. He does not tell us anything, except with his music, and we are not burdened by any biographical detail. The notes are enough, and the publications prove that they were highly appreciated. If this music still reaches out to us today it is precisely because of the impression one has when listening to it of being at the crossroads of two worlds, two aesthetic universes, which complement rather than contradict each other. These Symphoniae are, in fact, what the Italians would have referred to as Sonates. They were written for a violin and basso continuo, or for a trio (two violins and bass, or violin, viol and bass). Some were written for four or five instruments – the cornet, violin, trombone, tenor or bass viol, or both.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8002
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
ESTEVAO RAIMONDO (XIIIe): Amigo, se ben ajades
BERNAL DE BONAVAL (XIIIe): Fremosa a Deus grado
ROI FERNANDEZ DE SANTIAGO (XIIIe): Quand’eu vejo las ondas
MARTIN CODAS (XIIIe): Ondas do mare de Vigo; Madad’ei comigo; Mia irmana fremosa; Ai deus, se sab’ ora meu amigo; Quantas sabedes amare amigo; Ai ondas que eu vin veere

Fin’ amor: Carole Matras, chant & harp; Bernand Mouton, flutes a bec; Michael Grebil, cistres, oud, viele, persuccions; Thomas Baete, viele; Vincent Libert, percussions
The identity of Martin Codax is essentially synonymous with his seven surviving Cantigas de Amigo, which have been dated somewhat precariously to c.1230. The "cantiga de amigo" is a particular genre of Spanish medieval poetry, intended to express the female perspective on absent love. Together with other genres of cantiga, they survive in quantity. However, those of Martin Codax are the only ones to survive with music, and indeed the only medieval cantigas aside from the massive Cantigas de Santa María to survive with music. As the only secular examples of a primarily secular tradition, they are thus of unique value, even though the music for the sixth cantiga has not survived. They are written in Galician-Portuguese, the dominant vernacular literary language of medieval Spain, and apparently form a cycle. They are the most representative Spanish example of the broader phenomenon of troubadour songs.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8003
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
AMOR CHE FAI?, MADRIGALI E ARIE 1601 & 1614
Al fonte, al prato; Amor ch’attendi; Amor, io parto; Torna deh torna; Odi Euterpe; Amarilli mia bella (inst.); Amarilli mia bella; Amarilli io mi parto; O che felice giorno; Tutto il dì piango; Non ha’l Ciel cotanti lumi; A quei sospir ardenti; Udite amanti; Ard’il mio petto misero; Io parto, amati lumi; Vedrò’l mio sol; Tu ch’ai le penne amore

Stephan Van Dyck, tenor; Christina Pluhar, harp, theorbo; Eero Palviainen, archlute, guitar; Quito Gato, archlute, guitar; Paulina Van Laarhoven, viola da gamba, lire; Vincent Libert, percussion

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8004
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
Quartet I in G major; Quartet II in E flat major; Quartet III in F major; Quartet IV in D major; Quartet V in G major; Quartet VI in C minor

Quatuor Thaïs: Caroline Bayet, violin; Elsa de Lacerda, violin; Wendy Ruymen, viola; Kathy Adam, cello
Throughout the late 18th century, Andrè Gretry was the dominating force of French opera comique, and contributed substantially to the development of French opera as a whole. Gretry worked in Liège and in Paris, and was appointed Inspector of the Comedie Italienne, Royal Censor for Music and Director of the Queen's Private Music. After the Revolution, Gretry became member of the Lègion d'honneur.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8006
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
Sonata Quinta a tre (Harmonia parnassia); Miser es (Cantiones sacrae,I); Sonata Nona a Quattro (Harmonia parnassia); Sonata ottava a Quattro (Harmonia parnassia); Domine quae est fiducia tua (Cantiones sacrae, III); Sonata prima a tre (Harmonia parnassia); Nunc loquar, Domine (Cantiones sacrae, VII); Sonata sesta a tre (Harmonia parnassia)

Céline Scheen, soprano; Stephan Van Dyck, tenor; Dirk Snellings, bass
Ensemble Clematis/Stéphanie de Failly & Leonardo Garcia Alarcòn

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8007
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
Sonata I, Op. 3; Sonata II a 3 con Fluto è Hautboy, Op. 2; Sonata IV, Op. 3; Sonata; Sonata III, Op. 4; Sonata VI a 2 con Fluto è Hautboy, Op. 2; Sonata V, Op. 2

La Caccia:
Patrick Denecker, flute & recorder; Mirella Ruigrok, flute; Georges Barthel, traverso; Stefanie Troffaes, traverso; Marcel Ponseele, oboe; Jan Bontinck, cello; Guy Penson, harpsichord & organ
The recorder sonatas of both the “Ghent” and the “London” Loeillet are clearly based on the structure of the Italian sonata da chiesa, but they are in most cases further developed, with some additional movements, which in Jean-Baptiste de Gant may betray a French influence. An example of this is provided by the second Allegro of Sonata op. 4, No. 3, where the folk music-like melody line is underpinned by a fluid basso continuo.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8008
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
GEORG FRIEDRICH HANDEL (1685 – 1759) – MOTTETTI E SONATE DA CHIESA
Gloria; Salve Regina, HWV 241; Coelestis dum spirat aura, HWV 231
Trio Sonata in G minor, Op. 2 No. 5, HWV 393
Trio Sonata in F major, Op. 5 No. 6, HWV 401

Magali Léger, soprano

RosaSolis: Tami Troman, violin; Guillaume Humbrecht, violin; Nicolas Crnjanski, cello; Julie Blais, harpsichord & organ
For its debut CD, the ensemble RosaSolis accompanies the outstanding soprano Magali Léger (appearing on her first early music CD) in a selection of three motets by Handel, dating from his Roman period. Among them is the much-discussed Gloria which was rediscovered and attributed to Handel as recently as 2001.
During his time in Italy between 1706 and 1710, Handel’s talent soon earned him the patronage of important dignitaries and well-known patrons of the arts, such as Cardinals Ottoboni and Pamphili, and above all Francesco Ruspoli, Prince of Cerveteri. For these he wrote numerous cantatas which he would later draw on as source material for his operas, as well as several motets for solo voice and strings.
The present recording features three of the most beautiful motets of that period, including the much-discussed Gloria very recently attributed to Handel. Alternating with these vocal pieces, well served by the talents of soprano Magali Léger, the ensemble RosaSolis perform two trio sonatas of Italian inspiration: these may have been written during Handel’s time in Italy, when he was privileged to meet Corelli, the unchallenged master of the genre.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8009
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
JOHN DOWLAND (1563 – 1626) – CLEAR OR CLOUDY – LUTE SONGS
Stay Time awhile thy flying; Say Love if ever thou didst find; Flow my tears; Come again: Sweet love doth now invite; Mrs. Winter’s Jump; Can she excuse my wrongs?; Sorrow Stay; Mr. Dowland’s Midnight; Come away, come sweet love; I saw my Lady weep; Wilt thou, unkind, thus reave me?; Clear or cloudy; Preludium

MICHAELL CAVENDISH (ca. 1565 – 1628): Wand'ring in this place
PHILIP ROSSETER (1567/68 – 1628): When Laura smiles; No grave for woe
ANTHONY HOLBORNE (ca. 1545 – 1602): Cradle Pavan; The Fairy Round
THOMAS FORD (ca. 1580 – 1648): Come, Phyllis, come unto these bowers
THOMAS CAMPION (1567 – 1620): Fain would I wed; Shall I come sweet Love to thee?
FRANCIS PILKINTON (ca. 1565 – 1638): Rest sweet nymphs
ROBERT JOHNSON (ca. 1583 – ca. 1634): Have you seen but a white lily grow?

Valeria Mignaco soprano

Alfonso Marín lute
Up until the end of the 15th century, the lute accompaniment of poetry and song was improvised according to the rhythm of the poem. For that reason it is impossible for us to reconstruct the practice of the time, since no written examples exist. At the end of the 15th century, the Italians developed a way of rendering polyphony on the lute, plucking with the fingers instead of with a quill. This new method allowed existing polyphonic songs (mostly frottole and subsequently madrigals) to be performed by one singer to the accompaniment of the lute, which would play all or some of the remaining voices. This development marked the beginning of the lute-song as a genre that soon began to expand across Europe, a process that continued throughout the 16th century. England came late to this trend, but embraced it in a way that proved to be more fruitful and influential than in the rest of Europe. This was mainly due to the figure of John Dowland, one of the greatest song composers of any age and the main inspiration behind this recording. Although many lute-song masterpieces were created by Dowland’s contemporaries, none of these composers equals his level of originality, musical quality and sheer sublimity. We have included some pieces by some of the more accomplished composers (Francis Pilkington, Philip Rosseter, Michael Cavendish, Robert Jones, Thomas Campion and Robert Johnson) in order to offer a wider picture of the English lute-song as a genre.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8010
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
PARODIES SPIRITUELLES & SPIRITUALITÉ EN PARODIES
Surprise, ô Dieu, de vos lumières; Belle Philis, en attendant vos noces; Baisant, un soir, une mignarde; Les Manches vertes; Au jardin de mon père, un nid d’oiseau y a; Les Genoux et l’esprit; Une jeune nonnette; François, mon séraphique père; La Fustemberg [Furstenberg]; Oh ! que j’ai de contentement; Messieurs, ayez mémoire; Jean des sots; Rondeau; Quelle est cette beauté; Les Pèlerins de Saint-Jacques; La Sœur Luce

Céline Scheen, soprano

Les Menus-Plaisirs Du Roy:

Catherine Daron, traverse; Gail-Ann Schroeder, Eriko Semba, Ricardo Rodirguez Miranda, viole da gamba; Dimitri Dumon, percussion; Jean-Luc Impre, archluth & direction

Spiritual parodies and spirituality in parodies
Under the impulse of the Counter-Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church decided to appropriate the most popular among the secular songs of the time and to set them to new lyrics, thus creating so-called “spiritual parodies” that would be more conducive to meditation and more effective for home praying. In parallel emerged a naughty or even licentious literature reveling in stigmatizing the French clergy’s shortcomings, while mocking gently the lascivious aspirations of certain religious congregations.
Spiritual parodies…
The spiritual parodies that blossomed in France at the dawn of the Grand Siècle share various features with the vaudeville: not only are the lyrics plastered on known melodies, but both genres favor wider dissemination much rather than creativity itself. More than a simple question of inventiveness, the goal was to rely on the best musical attributes to express and to spread the “truth” or “new ideas”, depending on whether religious or vernacular concerns were at stake.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8012
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736): Nel chiuso centro, Op. 2 no. 4: Orfeo; Dalsigre ahi! Mia Dalsigre: Lontananza, Op. 2 no. 1; Chi non ode e chi non vede, Op. 2 no 3: Segreto tormento

Nicola Antonio Porpora (1686-1768): Sinfonia da camera a tre, Op. 2 no. 2; Sinfonia da camera a tre, Op. 2 no 3

Magali Legér, soprano
Ensemble Rosasolis

The fruit of many long friendships the Ensemble Rosasolis was formed in 2003 by young musicians who had graduated from top music conservatories in Paris and Lyon.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8013
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
ARTISTS: Ensemble Sostice; Isabelle Lamfalussy, traverse; Mariette Holtrop, violon; Bernard Woltèche, violoncello; Bart Jacobs, clavecin.

Label: MUSICA FICTA 8014
Our Price: $14.75
Quantity in Basket: none
ARTISTS: Il Festino: Dagmar Saskova, Soprano. Francisco Javier Mañalich, Tenor & Viola Da Gamba. Manuel De Grange, Lute, Guitar & Direction. Ronald Martin Alonso, Viol. Hannelore Devaere, Harp.