Accendo: to kindle, illuminate, inflame, to rouse up, arouse, excite, incite.

The idea of music stirring the passions rises from the writings of the ancient Greeks and Romans on rhetoric and oratory. This repertoire, which influenced strongly the early C17th writing of Monteverdi including his setting of the Vespers, is performed here with elegance, poise and energy by ECSE.

Contrasts between the wind, strings and voice on the disc are sure to delight the listener.

The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble was formed in 1993 and has performed in most UK Festivals including York, Spitalfields, Warwick & Leamington, and Exeter, as well as major venues such as The Wigmore Hall and the Purcell Room. They have toured France, Israel (twice) and featured on Radios 3 and 4, as well as BBC Radio Scotland. Their 1999 performances with The Dunedin Consort of Monteverdi’s Vespers in Edinburgh and Aberdeen received great critical acclaim.

This is a beautiful disc. The well thought-out programme not only hangs together historically, but also offers the listener plenty of variety in terms of mood and colour… The cornetts and sackbuts blend beautifully to create a warm sound. They play with impeccable intonation and a fine sense of ensemble..I would heartily recommend this recording. Hazel Brooks, The Consort, Summer 2002

“The Ensemble lifts this music to an intensely expressive level, yet with taut intonation and thoughtful ebb and flow of contrapuntal lines. The sound, recorded in a London church, is exemplary.”  George Pratt, BBC Music Magazine, May 2001

“This group plays with ease and a superb blend of tones, enhanced by the choice of venue (St Mary’s Church, near my home in Blackheath) which combines just the right amount of resonance with clarity in the part-writing..A winning collection which we have already played through several times.”  Classical Music on the Web, 2001.

Track List

1. La Novella (Milan 1606) – Andrea Cima
2. La Gentile a 4 (Milan 1617) – Andrea Cima
3. Sonata a 6 (Venice 1636) – Giovanni Buonamente
4. O quam tu pulchra es (Venice 1625) – Alessandro Grandi
5. La Feliciana a 4 (Venice 1597) – Adriano Banchieri
6. Canzona a 5 (Venice 1608) – Claudio Merula
7. Quoniam tu, Domine – Alfonso Ferrabosco
8. The Queen’s Alman (London c.1600) – William Byrd
9. La Malvezza a 4 (Venice 1600) – Antonio Mortaro
10. Suono del Ballo de’ Selvaggi (Naples 1620) – Giacomo Spiardo
11. Salve Regina (Venice 1621) – Alessandro Grandi
12. Sinfonia, Intermedio IV a 6 (Florence 1589) – Christoforo Malvezzi
13. Sinfonia, Intermedio V a 6 (Florence 1589) – Christoforo Malvezzi
14. Sinfonia Antica (Naples 1620) – Anon
15. La Morari (Venice 1597) – Giovanni Cavaccio
16. L’Alcenagina (Venice 1597) – Adriano Banchieri
17. Pass’ e Mezzo (Venice 1621) – Giovanni Picchi
18. La Bignani (Venice 1597) – Giovanni Cavaccio
19. Lauda Sion Salvatorem (Venice 1621) – Alessandro Grandi
20. Spagnoletta (Naples 1620) – Hettorre della Marra