Here's one of my enduring dream/fantasies: I'm walking the halls of some old building (school, church, warehouse -- whatever) and I hear the distant strains of recorder and lute. Some musicians are taking advantage of an empty building that's blessed with astounding acoustics to practice. Well, these two albums have made my dreams real.
You'd think that classical music producers would be sensitive to ambiance, but I can't tell you how many albums I hear that have just smeared the soundstage, until everything (EVERYTHING) sounds front and center, bold and in your face with no sense of the room. Music moves through physical space when it's recorded live; it moves the air. You don't get that with earbuds and you don't get that if you manipulate the sound in the studio (and a combination of the two just kills the whole experience.) But the two jewels pictured above, both from the Attaignant Consort, are exquisitely performed and impeccably recorded.
"Madame d'Amours" was released in 2007, and "Le Parler et le Silence" is from 2013. "Madame" is music for Renaissance flute consort (late 1400s to late 1500s), and "Le Parler" features flute consort and lute from the late 16th to the early 18th centuries. "Madame" has the old reliables, pieces you may know from John Renbourn and yes, Jethro Tull. "Le Parler" has more variety -- Morley, Gibbons, Dowland, de Visee, Hotteterre -- but seems pensive, even wistful, like the pieces were written as a slightly mournful look back to another era. I'm sure that's just my take, and most likely, not the least bit accurate. I'll spend some time reading the comprehensive liner notes and let you know!
Oh, and props to Arkivmusic.com and Fanfare Magazine (fanfaremag.com) for the best tips and recommendations for classical music.
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