Don’t anticipate a new version of Cipriano de Rore’s Sestine (or even hearing an exclusively Renaissance programme) in this curiously entitled Italian and Austro-German anthology! The album offers a variety of works – from Cavazzoni (published in 1543) to Bertali (died 1669), and from Senfl and Newsidler (published in 1534 and 1536) to Schmelzer (died 1680) – which were obviously chosen for their beauty rather than for historical and chronological or musicological reasons.

The flautists of the Royal Wind Band, clearly enjoy an excellent rapport and form a remarkably unified ensemble. Their programme is appealing from the outset with Schein’s Suite X, which features a full sound, accurate tempi, and striking dance movements. The Band is marvellous in the seventeenth century German repertoire, as well as in Renaissance vocal polyphony (the Palestrina motet and Marenzio madrigal). The two pieces played on larger flutes present a striking contrast to the rest of the CD. One of these works, Cavazzoni’s Canzon sopra falt d’argens, is transposed to an extremely low register, which gives an enchanting first impression but later sounds slow and heavy.

A lute, two harps and a psalterion accompany the flutes in certain pieces, and are also heard in various combinations on their own. The recording unfortunately accentuates the prolonged resonance of the harp and (particularly) the psalterion. This is true to such an extent that it is difficult to hear the variations and the subtle playing in the Italian dances. In a word, a good record that could have been outstanding. VÉRONIQUE LAFARGUE