This little-heralded release from France's consistently inventive Alpha label offers a window onto a fascinating, little-heard repertory of the French Renaissance, itself underrepresented as a whole on recordings in comparison with Netherlandish and Italian varieties. It's a Christmas album, and its booklet takes as a point of departure a quotation from poet Barthélemy Aneau about families who would "innocently pass the time in joyous Christmas carols" on long winter evenings instead of with "lascivious songs." Some of the ...
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This little-heralded release from France's consistently inventive Alpha label offers a window onto a fascinating, little-heard repertory of the French Renaissance, itself underrepresented as a whole on recordings in comparison with Netherlandish and Italian varieties. It's a Christmas album, and its booklet takes as a point of departure a quotation from poet Barthélemy Aneau about families who would "innocently pass the time in joyous Christmas carols" on long winter evenings instead of with "lascivious songs." Some of the carols, by Claudin de Sermisy and a variety of lesser-known composers, have links to those lascivious songs; do not fail to check out Clément Janequin's Il estoyt une fillette (There was a maid, track 6) with its delightful religious adaptation of what must originally have been a pretty raunchy text. On the other hand, the program sets these semi-popular pieces against the more elevated language of the Catholic mass, represented by parts of Jacques Arcadelt's Missa Noe noe, whose...
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Seller's Description:
Anonymous, French; Claude Goudimel; Claudin de Sermisy; Clément Janequin; Eustache du Caurroy; Gregorian Chant;... Poor. Used-Acceptable, withdrawn library disc(s) with liner notes. Disc(s) should play great without any playback issues. Disc(s) & liner notes may contain typical library markings like stickers, protective label covers, & writing. Discs may be repackaged in library style casing. Back artwork & any other promo material not included.