September 2007

William Byrd: The Second Service

Just released this month, Bill Ives directs the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford in David Skinner's reconstruction of Byrd's second Evensong service along, with verse anthems popular and rare.

Composer: WILLIAM BYRD (c.1540-1623),

CD Info: Harmonia Mundi CD HMU 907440,

Musica del Delphin and Starflowers

Two new releases from ECM explore very different cultures;:Luys de Narvaez published six books of compositions in 1538 for viheula, interpreted here by Pablo Marquez; and Sinikka Langeland, born of Norwegian and Finnish heritage, uses the forest imagery of poet Hans Borli to explore music ancient and new.

Composer: LUYS de NARVAEZ (c.1500-after 1550),

CD Info: ECM CD 1958, ECM CD 1996,

Dulcis Melancholia–Musical Biography of Margaret of Austria

Born in Brussels, her tragic life was central not only to early 16th century European politics, but from her adopted city of Mechlin was surrounded by the greatest composers of the day; on this new disc Dirk Snelling's Capilla Flamenca looks at her circle, including Josquin, Pierre de la Rue, Obrecht, and Agricola.

Composer:

CD Info:

Sting: Songs from the Labyrinth

Rapidly becoming one of the best-selling early music albums in history, Sting's new project is a four century bridge between like-minded musical minds. In a far-reaching interview, Sting describes his approach to this music and his collaboration with lute virtuoso Edin Karamazov, a student of Hopkinson Smith at the Schola Cantorum in Basel.

Composer:

CD Info: