The Renaissance French composer Clément Janequin is rightfully regarded today as a master of the chanson, of which 286 have survived. Had only the program chansons "La Bataille de Marignan" (which imitates the sounds of battle) and "Le Chant des oiseaux" (which imitates the sound of birds) survived today, he would still lay claim to greatness in the genre.

As refined as it is technically challenging, the lute music of Albert de Rippe (né Alberto da Ripa) is notable for its lush palette and dense brilliance – illustrated by the miniature masterpieces heard here: fantasias, chanson intabulations, and dance arrangements (the three most popular genres of the Renaissance repertoire), which in the hands of Paul O’Dette become marvellously expressive and poetic.

25 years after the revolutionary recording with Il Giardino Armonico, Enrico Onofri presents a new exciting version of Vivaldi's Le quattro Stagioni on PASSACAILLE, in which he has put all his artistic maturity and knowledge into practice. The focus of the recording is not only on Vivaldi. Onofri also wanted to pay tribute to Mother Nature, who has inspired artists of all genres with her sounds, images, smells and wonders. The selected pieces that accompany the Evergreen come from the Italian repertoire of the 17th century.

Créé à Paris en 1978, la même année que les Arts Florissants, l'Ensemble Clément Janequin se consacre en priorité à la musique profane et sacrée de la Renaissance, de Josquin à Monteverdi. Son inimitable interprétation de la chanson parisienne du XVIe siècle a fait redécouvrir un des âges d'Or de l'histoire de la musique française, ses enregistrements Les Cris de Paris, , , , et La Chasse chez harmonia mundi faisant figure de référence.

Créé à Paris en 1978, la même année que les Arts Florissants, l'Ensemble Clément Janequin se consacre en priorité à la musique profane et sacrée de la Renaissance, de Josquin à Monteverdi. Son inimitable interprétation de la chanson parisienne du XVIe siècle a fait redécouvrir un des âges d'Or de l'histoire de la musique française, ses enregistrements Les Cris de Paris, , , , et La Chasse chez harmonia mundi faisant figure de référence.

French composer, primarily of secular songs. Janequin was one of the earliest Renaissance masters to concentrate on chansons, taking the genre to a new degree of vitality and inclusiveness by his use of such extra-musical elements as bird-song & "cries" of Paris. He was highly influential in the subsequent development of the song as a form of personal expression in France.

Jérôme Lejeune continues his History of Music series with this boxed set devoted to the Renaissance. The next volume in the series after Flemish Polyphony (RIC 102), this set explores the music of the 16th century from Josquin Desprez to Roland de Lassus. After all of the various turnings that music took during the Middle Ages, the music of the Renaissance seems to be a first step towards a common European musical style. Josquin Desprez’s example was followed by every composer in every part of Europe and in every musical genre, including the Mass setting, the motet and all of the various new types of solo song. Instrumental music was also to develop considerably from the beginning of the 16th century onwards.

War and Faith: a coupling that was not only related to Crusaders but to many aspects during the Renaissance and the early Baroque. And both War and Faith had a common denominator in the music. This disc tries to reconstitute the music which escorted warriors before, during and after two of those battles which stained Europe with blood in the 16th century.

In 1968, six former choral scholars from King’s College, Cambridge established the King’s Singers, later described by The Times as “the superlative vocal sextet”. The group has always comprised two countertenors, a tenor, two baritones and a bass, and over the years it has proved consistently exceptional for vocal distinction and breadth and diversity of repertoire. This celebratory collection of eight CDs focuses on Renaissance composers from Italy, England, France, Spain, Germany and the Low Countries.