Masques is a young, photogenic, Montreal-based ensemble specializing in repertoire of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. On the cover of their English Fancy CD, dressed all in white, they look like Amici Forever or one of the other English crossover bands. Either that or like they just came from day jobs at a hospital. Under the covers, however, is a well-constructed and very crisply executed program of seventeenth century English music. Masques alternates instrumental and vocal selections, mixing together works from ...
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Masques is a young, photogenic, Montreal-based ensemble specializing in repertoire of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. On the cover of their English Fancy CD, dressed all in white, they look like Amici Forever or one of the other English crossover bands. Either that or like they just came from day jobs at a hospital. Under the covers, however, is a well-constructed and very crisply executed program of seventeenth century English music. Masques alternates instrumental and vocal selections, mixing together works from different parts of the seventeenth century in such a way as to show the continuity of English tradition even as composers reacted to the huge developments (opera, the tonal system) happening elsewhere. Composers represented are Purcell from the century's end, John Jenkins from its middle, and Shakespeare's contemporary Thomas Campion, whose songs are ideal vehicles for the compact power and understated humor of soprano Shannon Mercer. Her sound is complemented nicely by that of...
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