Les Amours de Mai: Love Songs in the Age of Ronsard

Product Description France in the sixteenth and early seventeenth century was not perhaps the calmest place to make music. Throughout this time, the country was riven by dynastic struggles and wars of religion; assassinations, violent riots, and massacres were not uncommon events. But amidst all this horror, there were songs and dances being made that are marked by a graciousness, a balance, and a wonderful sense of lightness characteristic of the French Renaissance. One can see the same effect in the Louvre that was being built at this time: Italian Renaissance ideas of symmetry, order, and harmonious proportions are realized in a particularly French way to produce an effect of exceptional grace and elegance. The texts that the composers of the French Renaissance chose to set are those from the new generation of poets that were coming of age around them, in particular the poets known as the Pléiade. Most prominent among this constellation was Pierre de Ronsard, who deftly combined a sumptuous vocabulary with graceful imitations of classical metrical patterns to make some of the most memorable lyric poetry of the Renaissance. His works, especially those composed in the decade between 1550 and 1560, caught the ear of composers throughout Europe. The poetic achievements of Ronsard and his contemporaries were matched by an exceptionally talented generation of French composers. Like the architects, the painters, and the poets of France, these composers created their own distinctive styles out of various international elements. Combining the great tradition of well-wrought Flemish counterpoint with newer developments in Italian madrigals, they found a uniquely French Renaissance musical language, one that at times consciously emulated the classical verse forms of the poets they set. The Parthenia Viol Consort brings early music into the present with repertoire ancient to freshly commissioned, animated with a ravishing sound and a remarkable sense of ensemble. Parthenia is presented in concerts across the United States, and produces its own series in New York City, collaborating regularly with the world's foremost early music specialists. The quartet has been featured in prestigious festivals and series as wide-ranging as Music Before 1800, Harriman-Jewell Series, Maverick Concerts, Regensburg Tage Alter Musik, Shalin Lui Performing Arts Center, Pierpont Morgan Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Yale Center for British Art, Columbia University's Miller Theatre and Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Parthenia's performances range from its popular touring program, When Music & Sweet Poetry Agree, a celebration of Elizabethan poetry and music with actor Paul Hecht, to the complete viol fantasies of Henry Purcell, as well as the complete instrumental works of Robert Parsons, and commissions and premieres of new works annually. Julianne Baird has been hailed a 'national artistic treasure' and a 'well-nigh peerless performer in the repertory of the baroque.' With more than 125 recordings to her credit on Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Dorian, Newport Classics and MSR, Baird is one of the world's ten most recorded classical artists. She has participated in leading roles in a series of acclaimed recordings of Handel and Gluck operatic premieres. One of America's leading historical string players, Robert Mealy has been praised for his imagination, subtlety and daring. The New Yorker described him as 'New York s world-class early music violinist.' Mealy has released more than 50 discs on numerous major labels, ranging from Hildegard of Bingen with Sequentia, to Renaissance consorts with the Boston Camerata, to Rameau operas with Les Arts Florissants. Mealy has appeared at music festivals from Berkeley to Belgrade, and from Melbourne to Versailles. Review The performances are done with great delicacy and taste. Soprano Julianne Baird is exquisite... Robert Mealy's beautiful playing overcomes any hesitation might have about the violin blending with viols. Who can complain about a little more fullness and richness with such phrasing and intonation? --VdGSA News Julianne Baird is exquisite, and the four players that make up this consort of viols are superb. The music is largely unfamiliar, not a single duplication on older collections of this period. Specialists will expand their collections with this, and casual collectors will find it agreeable. --Fanfare Julianne Baird's voice is well suited both to this repertoire and to singing with a consort of viols. The backbone of this collection is formed by the consistent musicality of the four gambists of Parthenia plus violinist Robert Mealy. Among the high points are the intricate polyphonic fantasias by Julio Segni da Modean, Gabriel Coste, Claude le Jeune, and particularly five fantasias on the popular song 'Une Jeune Fillette' by Eustache du Caurroy... These polyphonic compositions are among the best performances on this recording... This is an important recording for all t
ASIN: B002ZPYCU2
VSKU: DBV.B002ZPYCU2.G
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:Parthenia: A Consort of Viols
Binding: Audio cd
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