Costeley: Spiritual and Love Songs (Mignonne allons voir si la rose) Ludus Modalis & Bruno Boterf

• 1 Mignonne, allon voir si la roze 02:24
• 2 Chassons ennuy 02:02
• 3 La terre les eaux va buvant 01:25
• 4 Je plains le temps 03:45
• 5 Esprit doux de bonne nature 02:47
• 6 Dialogue de l'homme et son coeur 04:06
• 7 J'ayme mon Dieu 03:46
• 8 Las je n'eusse jamais pensé 01:44
• 9 Prise du Havre 07:19
• 10 Puisque la loy 01:41
• 11 Perrette disoit Jehan 01:31
• 12 Muses chantez 02:23
• 13 Las je n'yray plus 05:03
• 14 Sus debout, gentils pasteurs 03:42
• 15 Seigneur Dieu, ta pitié 05:12
• 16 Allez mes premieres amours 01:15
• 17 Quand le berger 01:41
• 18 Quand l'ennuy facheux vous prend 01:03
• 19 Le plus grand bien 01:53
• 20 Grosse garce noire et tendre 01:49
• 21 Bouche qui n'as point de semblable 01:37
• 22 Du clair soleil 02:46
• 23 Allons au vert boccage 01:23
• 24 Fantasie sur orgue ou espinette 01:39
• 25 Venez dancer au son de ma musette 02:27
• 26 Toutes les nuitz 01:41
• 27 Sy c'est un grief tourment 03:44
• Total Runtime 01:11:48

Info for Costeley: Spiritual and Love Songs (Mignonne allons voir si la rose)

Guillaume Costeley was born in Normandy, most likely in Pont-Audemer, in 1530. He occupied the function of organist at the cathedral of Évreux and also became official composer to Charles IX. The status and quality of Costeley's music warrant his place amongst the principal masters of the Late Renaissance. Although he never abandoned his contrapuntal writing, inherited from his great Franco-Flemish predecessors, his imagination nonetheless led him down paths heretofore little travelled. In spite of being an organist and church musician, it is primarily thanks to his secular oeuvre that he is recognized today, in particular to one piece: the emblematic Mignonne allons voir si la rose, written on a text by Ronsard. Guillaume Costeley composed a large number of 4- and 5-part songs, some of which are descriptive (La prise du Havre), serious and moral, others of rustic content occasionally quite risqué (Grosse garce noire et tendre). Our project will draw on this varied repertoire in order to provide a portrait in sound of this great master of vocal music.

Ludus Modalis:
Nathalie Marec, superius
Annie Dufresne, superius
Sophie Toussaine, contratenor
Jean-Christophe Clair, contratenor
Bruno Boterf, tenor
Reinoud Van Mechelen, tenor
François Fauché, bassus
Freddy Eichelberger, harpsichord

Recorded in November, 2011 at the church of Saint Martin, Brémontier-Merval, France
Artistic direction, recording, mastering & editing by Rainer Arndt

Ludus Modalis
Established by Bruno Boterf, the twelve-voice ensemble, Ludus Modalis “The Mode Game” – has set itself the task of restoring the sound palette of sacred and secular polyphonic repertoire of the Renaissance and pre-Baroque. The group tries to distinguish itself from a too-generalised approach to interpretation, by concentrating on those aspects of performance practice sometimes neglected, such as pronunciation, an intonation governed by the use of the different modes, temperament, a search for variety in vocal sonority, and a scrupulous respect for the original sources, reinforced by collaboration with musicologists.

By adopting a practice of combining male, female and children's voices, Ludus Modalis strives to be an ensemble, in the first place, of colours,where the mixing of contrasting timbres is seen as a source of richness, and where beauty is not the predominant notion, but rather an “ornamental” aspect.

Bruno Boterf
After studying Musicology and Art History at university, Bruno Boterf opted for a performing career and was soon in demand as a soloist, singing under leading conductors in programmes of sacred music by Bach, Handel, Monteverdi, Cavalli, Mozart, Rossini, etc. At the same time he was initiated into the mysteries of medieval music by Anne-Marie Deschamps and Marcel Peres while also performing contemporary music with the GroupeVocal de France, taking part in several productions with the ensemble 2E-EM and Radio France.

On stage, he has appeared in operas under the direction of Jean-Claude Malgoire, William Christie, Marc Minkowski and Hervé Niquet, and has collaborated regularly with Mireille Larroche and Peniche Opera. He has performed the title roles in the Play of Daniel and Monteverdi's Orfeo.

His considerable interest in Renaissance and early Baroque music has led him to perform 16th and 17th century music both in duet programmes (A Doi Tenori with Gilles Ragon) and as a soloist with groups like Akademia, the Witches, Ensemble europeen William Byrd and La Fenice. He also performed French repertoire of the same period, particularly the late 16th centuty air de cour in concerts with the Ensemble Clement Janequin for more than twenty years. He has recorded many discs for Harmonia Mundi and features in numerous recordings on other labels, including Alpha, Erato, CBS, Audivis, etc...

A qualified teacher, Bruno Boterf helped to set up a class in Renaissance vocal music performance at the Tours Conservatoire. This experience led him to create Ludus Modalis, an a capella group of a dozen singers focusing mainly on 16th and early 17th century sacred music.

Booklet for Costeley: Spiritual and Love Songs (Mignonne allons voir si la rose)