With this selection of short pieces which mean a lot to her, Élisabeth Joyé invites us to take a trip through the contrasting landscape of 16th, 17th and early 18th century Europe. The pieces are by fourteen composers, including Bull, Boehm, Frescobaldi and d’Anglebert, and are played on three wonderful little instruments.
With Riposta, the Guilde des Mercenaires return to some of their very favourite music - that of Venice and the surrounding area during the Seicento period. Working in the heart of the Trégor region on a project that is as ambitious as the ensemble itself, La Guilde have pulled off the feat of transforming this so-called “early” music into something truly universal.
"L’ascolto di questo delizioso programma, tutto impregnato di umori e atmosfere monteverdiane – il Divino Claudio fu il grande influencer del suo secolo – non risolverà il mistero del nome dell’ensemble, ma l’enigma non vela in alcun momento la purezza dei suoni e dei timbri, né turba le volteggianti linee melodiche delle musiche sublimi che intrecciano magicamente voci e strumenti di questa cooperativa di mercenari nel loro viaggio attraverso le serene prospettive della musica veneziana della prima metà del XVII secolo. In particolar modo nei divini duetti che mettono a confronto la voce di Violaine le Chenadec ed il cornetto (o cornetto a bocchino), strumento raro, e che raramente eccelle nell’eleganza della linea melodica e nell’estrema precisione d’intonazione di cui dà prova Adrien Mabire." Ferruccio Nuzzo - GreyPanthers
"En esta música bellísima predominan, claro está, los afectos más sensibles y delicados, con un programa muy imaginativo colmado de novedades muy bienvenidas.(...) Virginie Thomas muestra una maravillosa adecuación a estos rôles légers de los que nos habla Dratwicki: refinada, delicada, expresiva y contenida al tiempo, resulta ideal para los exquisitos números vocales." Javier Sarría Pueyo - Scherzo
Andrea Gabrieli - La peine de mon cœur
"La sensibile e trasparente interpretazione di Sebastien Wonner è tutta ispirata – «ne sono stato obsédé (ossessionato)», ha scritto Sebastien – dal colorito veneziano, che più che la sapiente polifonia caratterizza queste composizioni (...). «Chi la dirà, la pena del mio cuore?» Ed aggiungere con Willaert, maestro di cappella a SanMarco: «Partir da voi vorrei Tanto son dolci gli ritorni miei»." Ferruccio Nuzzo - GreyPanthers
Un clavecin pour Marcel Proust
Guillaume Rebinguet Sudre, violon, harpsichord & organ
"Guillaume Rebinguet Sudre plays them alternately on the violin, the harpsichord and the organ. Thus he succeeds in a varied program on 2 CDs, and he proves to be an accomplished and expressive Bach interpreter on all three instruments." Rémy Franck - Pizzicato
"Un’idea singolare, per un risultato veramente interessante. Guillaume Rebinguet Sudre, violinista ben noto per le sue interpretazioni, vivaci e spontanee, di musica barocca su strumenti d’epoca, ha voluto mettere insieme tutte le sue molteplici virtù in questo album di due cd dedicato alla musica di Bach. " Ferruccio Nuzzo - Grey Panthers
Bernardo Storace - In Modo Pastorale
Marouan Mankar Bennis, harspichord
" (...) The music is good enough to elevate the album above mere novelty, and the colourful variety of keyboard instruments, recorded superbly, give added interest. Mankar-Bennis’s imagination as a performer shines through, and the musical journey is thus a thoroughly enjoyable one." Steven Watson - MusicWeb international
"The 24-year-old Gaudio’s playing is exciting and very clearly articulated, with a strong sense of forward propulsion. It is the approach of a young man, excited by the potential of the instrument and of the musical template and, as such, highly appropriate to this project. " Noel O’Regan - Early Music Review
Anne Marie Dragosits, harpsichord
:Nomination for the 2022 International Classical Music Award in category Baroque Intrumental
"Après un extraordinaire récital « Le clavecin mythologique », toujours pour le label versaillais L’Encelade, prétexte original à une exploration colorée et inspirée du répertoire de clavecin de la France du XVIIIe siècle (principalement), l’Autrichienne Anne Marie Dragosits nous prodigue une fois encore son art singulier du sortilège et nous embarque au cœur de la nuit, moment propice au rêve, et par-delà à l’imagination et à la création artistique." Pierre-Yves Lascar - Qobuz
Los Exceptionales "Dragosits toca con una elegancia que apabulla y demuestra un conocimiento absoluto de estos repertorios.(…). La presentación del CD y las notas informativas que contiene son espléndidas, algo a lo que ya nos tiene acostumbrados el sello L’Encelade." Eduardo Torrico - Scherzo
E. Richard - The Sun King's teacher
"This is very committed playing, with sprightly ornamentation, determined (in a good way) to make the best possible case for this little-known music though an extra layer of enjoyment can be detected in the luxuriant textures of the Louis Couperin Passacaille that closes the programme." David Hansell - Early Music Review
"Fabien Armengaud delivers engaging and stylish performances of the pieces he has selected. He plays a nice instrument, the copy of a harpsichord of the late 17th century, which produces a more pregnant sound that later instruments which are often used in French harpsichord music. It suits the music on the programme very well. The disc ends with one of Louis Couperin's most famous pieces, the superb Passacaille in C, which receives a majestic performance. There is no better way to end this captivating programme. " Johan van Veen - MusicWeb
Claire Gautrot, viola da gamba & Marouan Mankar-Bennis, harpsichord
"Clasica2 recomienda este excelente CD de Claire Gautrot y Marouan Mankar-Bennis con obras de Couperin editado por el prestigioso sello francés L'Encelade. . Una verdadera delicia" Clasica2
"Подчиняясь искусству разговора, два инструмента, поочередно солируют, пленяя и восхищая аристократическим величием, пасторальными эмоциями и меланхолической безмятежностью." Музыкальная афиша – Affiche musical
"Claire Gautrot un interprete raffinata e versatile, a suo agio nelle pieghe, nelle luci e nelle ombre di questa musica complessa e cortigiana. E Marouan Mankar-Bennis la segue ed accompagna, in riguardosa prospettiva, in queste narrazioni destinate a distrarre attraverso la raffinata evocazione di remote atmosfere.." Ferruccio Nuzzo - Grey Panthers
JS Bach - Trios for keyboard and violin
Odile Edouard, violin & Freddy Eichelberger, organ
"So here is a partnership of instruments that grew on me musically over the entire programme. As one who is primarily an organist, I found the choice of instruments fascinating and the playing impeccable, as you would expect. It opens a whole alternative sound-world which I hope our violinists will be keen to explore, even if the right organs will be hard to find." David Stancliffe - Early Music Review
"Sei strumenti diversi: tre violini e tre organi dalle caratteristiche ben identificabili anche per il melomane che non sia veramente uno specialista, per una registrazione particolarmente riuscita e che (...) mette ben in evidenza il dialogo degli strumenti nelle complesse architetture bachiane." Ferruccio Nuzzo - Grey Panthers
Recommended by Music Island
"This is an intense exploration of a very sophisticated, and for some, esoteric musical world, but the choice of pieces, use of registration, and performance itself, all ensure that the modd is not gloomy." Colin Booth - The Consort
The Guild of Mercenaries directed by Adrien Mabire
"Mabire and La Guilde des Mercenaires have restored this repertoire to its 'own voice' and delivered a strong statement on music that is not widely performed or recorded anymore, as opposed to the myriad releases of the 1970-1980's of Renaissance music. A great recording worthy of your consideration for its clarity, power and beauty." Paul-James Dwyer - Toronto Early Music Center
"Un cuidadísimo CD titulado Mottetti e Canzoni Virtuose que recrea la música de la época dorada de la música italiana del siglo XVII. (...) Nuestra enhorabuena a todos los que han hecho posible este gran disco que recomendamos a nuestros lectores." Manuel López-Benito - Clásica2
"Sonorità nuove, dall’apparenza austera eppur agili ad intessere trame flessibili, nello slancio di un fervore mistico esaltato nella contemplazione. Sono i rari strumenti della Guilde des Mercenaires, il prezioso ensemble diretto da Adrien Mabire che ci presenta un raffinato programma di musiche italiane di un Rinascimento che prediligeva ancora e sopratutto la cappella alla corte per le sue manifestazioni musicali. (...) Un disco singolare, e realizzato con singolare competenza e passione." Ferruccio Nuzzo - The GreyPanthers
Anne Marie Dragosits, harpsichord
Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik -Tasteninstrumente
"Dank des Könnens von Anne Marie Dragosits, dank ihrer Imaginationskraft und Kreativität wird vor dem Ohr des begeisterten Hörers eine Klangwelt lebendig, von der man zwar theoretisch wissen konnte, die man aber so einnehmend und in den Bann ziehend vermutlich bisher noch nicht erleben konnte. Dragosits hat sich durch das wundervolle, sorgsam restaurierte Taskin-Instrument zu einer interpretatorischen Meisterleistung inspirieren lassen. Eine Ausnahme-Produktion." Michael Wersin - Rondo
"Dragosits exhibe una sensibilidad extraordinaria, con unas lecturas soberbias de piezas tales como L’Entretien des muses (Rameau), Les Grâces (Duphly), La Sensible (Royer, íntegramente ejecutada con el registro de arpa) o Les Silvains y Les Ombres Errantes (Couperin), donde combina de manera ideal la necesaria flexibilidad rítmica con la fluidez discursiva, sin amaneramiento alguno." Javier Sarría Pueyo - Scherzo
"The playing throughout is musically satisfying, historically stylish, and technically agile. The instrument delights in each selection, and be sure to take the time to enjoy the seemingly endless reverberation as the musical bombast of Jupiter slowly dies away at the disc’s conclusion." Larry Palmer - The Diapason
Johann Adam Reincken - Toccatas, Partitas & Suites
JF Dandrieu - Pièces de Caractère
Marouan Mankar-Bennis, harpsichord
"I am delighted to report that Marouan Mankar-Bennis plays superbly in his first solo harpsichord recording, (...). Indeed, I could go so far as to suggest that this Encelade disc might well turn out to be my favorite harpsichord recording of 2018!" Larry Palmer - The Diapason
"Marouan Mankar-Bennis bringt Dandrieus Notenköpfe mit seinen Verzierungen zum Sprechen, verbindet sie phrasierend zu Sätzen, verleiht ihnen durch kontrastierende Tempi Lebendigkeit. Das Ergebnis ist eine poetische, stellenweise sogar anrührende Cembalo-CD - viel zu kostbar, um sie im Regal zwischen den marktschreierischen Tenören und den glamourös glitzernden Pianistinnen verstauben zu lassen." von Thorsten Preuß - BR Klassik
"Pierre Gallon llega a evocar, con respecto a estas composiciones de la época rococó, "un canto del cisne" del clavicémbalo." Clasica2
"Sin dalle prime note le sonorità, ricche e piene, giustificano la scelta di questa registrazione, e cioè di adottare il clavicembalo (...) per l’interpretazione delle composizioni per tastiera." Ferruccio Nuzzo GreyPanthers
Antonio Vivaldi - Concerti for two harpsichords
Gwennaëlle Alibert and Clément Geoffroy, harpsichord
"The results sound quite unlike anything else you are likely to hear on the harpsichord, wonderfully dense tinkling textures through which you follow the melodic lines like an inquisitive hobbit through Fangorn Forest. (...) Not everybody’s cup of tea but I love it!" D. James Ross - Early Music review
Girolamo Frescobaldi - Intavolature di Cimbalo
The Harpies, directed by Freddy Eichelberger
"Varied program with music from the Renaissance in masterly performances." Remy Franck Pizzicato (article in German)
"This is highly entertaining stuff, presented inventively and imaginatively, and played and sung with engaging panache and honesty." D. Jame Ross Early Music Review
"The organ is used in combination with a range of other instruments, including a cornemuse, cistre, colachon, gaita, violin, and another organ – a spinettino-régale copied from an 1587 Austrian original. It is an extraordinary sound world (...)." Andrew Benson-Wilson - Article
"Anyone who likes good music should enjoy this disc. If you are sceptical: just give it a try and you may be pleasantly surprised." Johan van Veen - MusicWeb International
"This is a fascinating compilation with some very interesting approaches to renaissance instrumentation." Ibi Aziz - The Consort
G. BASSANO - Ricercare per strumenti insieme
The Guild of Mercenaries, directed by Adrien Mabire
Elisabeth Joyé, harpsichord and organ
"Elisabeth Joyé is a fine player and under her hands we get fully idiomatic interpretations of both harpsichord and organ works." Johan van Veen MusicWeb
"'(Elisabeth Joyé) manages the contrast between the stricter and more improvised forms very well and proves an excellent advocate for Fischer’s music." Noel O'Regan Early Music Review
"Un disco prezioso per scopire un musicista dimenticato" Ferruccio Nuzzo Grey Panthers
"Nuestra sección de discografía de música clásica recomendable os presenta hoy un disco excepcional.Clasica2
Emmanuelle Guigues, viola da gamba
This record is a journey into the German School of viola da gamba in the early 18th century: as if seen through the prism of a kaleidoscope, it unfurls over a period of 24 years, from 1705 to 1729. This program is a freeze frame: a landscape of the diverse influences which have influenced the viola da gamba repertoire, be they English, French or Italian, with a detour through the extraordinary blossoming of the German organ School and its stylus fantasticus. Europe had already been born.
The ensemble Marguerite-Louise, directed by Gaétan Jarry
"This beautifully performed, recorded and presented L’Encelade release makes a splendid addition to the ever-growing discography of Marc-Antoine Charpentier." Michael Cookson Musicweb
"Ein perfektes Debüt eines vielversprechenden Ensembles." Prospero - Forum für Alte Musik
".. the disc (…) features an ensemble which communicates a genuine empathy with Charpentier’s music." Shirley Thompson The Consort
Jean-Luc Ho, harpsichord and organ
"Ho captures the spirit of the music in these idiomatic, stylish and rhythmically potent performances. He employs an imaginative range of registrations in the works played on the organ, adding colour and diversity. (...) Ho plays with commitment, resourcefulness, imaginative flair and rhythmic vitality. These are convincing interpretations, and set the bar high." Stephen Greenbank - MusicWeb
"Jean-Luc Ho’s playing is compelling and committed. (...)He successfully seeks out the various mood of the wide variety of pieces, and plays with a nicely relaxed sense of pulse and momentum." Andrew Benson-Wilson - Early Music Reviews
The Ensemble Baroque Atlantique, directed by Guillaume Rebinguet Sudre, violin
The Ensemble Baroque Atlantique’s make their recording debut with a programme devoted to specially written new versions of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Sinfonias and Concerti.
"The playing (...) is dynamic and elegant, the soloists never failing to maintain a light stroke even in the most vigorous passages. This is a highly recommended CD for any Bach enthousiasts who may think there isn't anything else new to be recorded". Ibrahim Aziz The Consort
An exploration of the first pieces for keyboard instruments published in early sixteenth century Paris.
" Anyway 'bravo' to all concerned." Gary Higginson - MusicWeb
CPE BACH - Last words and promises
Aline Zylberajch, piano-forte /Alice Piérot, violin
"This is a most compelling disc which fully reveals the fascinating musical personality of Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach." MusicWeb - Johan van Veen
" (...) all in all, quite a range of colours, which is exploited to the full by such a virtuoso as Aline Zylberajch, who is clearly utterly in harmony with Bach's flights of fancy." BC - Early Music Review
"I have been absolutely blown away by this recording - not only does it answers my questions about the tangentenfluegel, but it also contains some of the finest performances of CPE Bach that I have heard" Douglas Hollick -The Consort
Guillaume Rebinguet Sudre, violin / Claire Gratton, cello / Jean-Luc Ho, harpsichord
Muse d'or "Une réalisation exemplaire, et un incontournable pour toute discothèque vénitienne qui se respecte" Viet-Ling Nguyen, Muse Baroque, accès à l'article
«Disciple d’Hélène Schmitt, Guillaume Rebinguet-Sudre a hérité d’elle une sonorité somptueuse et un art admirable de l’ornementation. Se jouant avec une apparente facilité des allegros, il insuffle aux mouvements lents une intense dimension poétique. (..) Belle réussite et programme intéressant où l'on retrouve la Sonate en si bémoldédiée à Pisendel et celle en la mineur que Bach appréciait.» Philippe Ramin, Diapason
"there is much to admire in his Couperin with some sensitive playing in the Sarabande, Gavotte and in the final La Morinete." Noel O'Regan - Early Music Review
RAMEAU, BALBASTRE, ROYER - Airs d'opéra accommodés pour le clavecin
" (Zimmer) makes good use of its variety of colours with some sensitive registration.A good introduction to the late stages of French harpsichord music, played with a sense of fun and on its own terms." Noel O'Regan - Early Music Review
"From this collection, Zimmer extracts her own selection of concert pieces, competently performed with sharp contrasts, a certain youthfulness and expressive gestures on the beautiful French double-manual harpsichord by Martine Argellies, a replica of a mid-18th-century Goujon judiciously tuned to the d’Alembert-Rousseau temperament. The three Royer pieces at the end are a sort of encore, and will surely win Zimmer more fans." David Chung - Oxford Journals - Early Music