The Book of Madrigals

The secular repertory of the Renaissance seems made to order for the five singers of amarcord. In the incomparable setting of the Villa Godi in northern Italy, the group recorded some of the best-known and most beautiful madrigals of the 16th century, creating a bridge to the present day. Fiery declarations of love and the deep pain of parting, erotic innuendoes and bawdy humor -- in the interpretations of this prizewinning ensemble, the texts always seem contemporary and relevant. The members of amarcord are accompanied by the exceptional instrumentalists Hille Perl (viola da gamba) and Lee Santana (theorbo), as well as the virtuoso percussionist Michael Metzler.

After three extremely successful CDs with vocal music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, amarcord turns this time to the wonderful French vocal music of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The exquisite singers from Leipzig once again demonstrate their amazing versatility. Starting in the second half of the 19th century, amarcord present some less well-known facets of the works of Rossini and Saint-Saens. Meanwhile the 1920s with their pioneering spirit are represented by compositions by Cras, Milhaud, and the young Poulenc, whose entire works for male voices recorded here stretch into the post-war period. But one thing that all the items in this album have in common is their deep rootedness in France and the French: in for instance tradition, dialects, dances, incidents, feelings and savoir vivre. In a nutshell, this album is 'tres francais'!

Songlist: Salut, Dame Sainte, Tout Puissant, Seigneur, je vous en prie, O mes tres chers freres, Choeur/Quelques Mesures de Chant Funebre, Priere, Psaume 121 op. 72, O jesu, O proles, Laus Regi, Si quaeris, L'appel de la cloche, la route, un jeune sapin se balance, Soir, Nuit, Serenade d'hiver, La belle si nous etions, Clic, clac, dansez sabots, Chanson a boire, Saltarelle op. 74

A musical journey to sixteenth-century Europe with secular vocal music of the Renaissance! The vocal ensemble amarcord brilliantly interprets the music of this epoch in its newest production "The Book of Madrigals" (RK ap 10106). With this CD, the young ensemble presents Renaissance music and madrigals by European composers such as John Dowland, Thomas Morley, Ludwig Senfl, Adriano Banchieri, Orlando de Lasso, and Josquin des Prez. Cipriano de Rore's "Anchor che col partire" - one of the most popular madrigals of its time, and in arrangements and adaptations still an "evergreen" over a century later - is also masterfully sung here. With the release of "The Book of Madrigals," amarcord has added another impressive CD to its discography.

Songlist: Now Is The Month Of Maying, Bonjour Et Puis Quelles Nouvells?, Bonjour Mon Coeur, Come Away Come Sweet Love, Anchor Che Col Partire, Ach Elslein, Liebes Elselein, Remember Me My Dear, Since Robin Hood, Strike It Up, Tabor, Vecchie Letrose, Innsbruck, ich Muss Dich Lassen, I Love, Alas I Love Thee, Il Est Bel Et Bon, Come Again Sweet Love Doth Now Invite, Mein Gmuth Ist Mir Verwirret, Weep, O Mine Eyes, Pastyme With Good Companye, Contrappunto Bestiale Alla Mente