Tesserae - Medieval Music for Recorders and Percussion
La Quinte Estampie Real [4:54]
Eya Herre Got Was Mag Das Gesein [4:29]
Eya Mater Fidelium [3:30]
O Vasenacht [2:35]
Can Vei La Lauzeta Mover [7:18]*
Ich Het Czu Hannt Geloket Mir [2:43]
Ave Maris Stella [2:49]
Stabat Mater [5:38]
La Manfredina E Rota [4:40]
Chominciamento Di Gioia [6:00]
Alleluja. O Maria Rubens Rosa [3:40]
Tre Fontane [4:54]
Duo Enßle-Lamprecht (Anne-Suse Enßle (recorder), Philipp Lamprecht (percussion & vocal*))
rec. 2016, Prokulus Museum, Naturns, Italy
AUDAX ADX13712 [52:54]
I approached this CD with a sense of trepidation. I think it was the cover that initially put me off. The enigmatic, threatening glances of the performers left me not knowing what to expect. My fears, however, were soon allayed when I began listening. I’ve reviewed several Audax recordings, and have nothing but admiration for the unusual and interesting repertoire they unearth.
The duo Enßle-Lamprecht presents a fascinating programme of secular and liturgical music, drawn from miscellaneous medieval sources, including The Monk of Salzburg, Codex Faenza, Codex Huelgas and Manuscript du Roi. The music is arranged for various flutes and an array of percussion instruments, such as tabor, tamburello, nakers, Romanic bronze bells and medieval castanets. It all makes for a rich tapestry of sound, showcased in vividly colourful hues and textures. What about the title of the disc? A tessera is a small block of stone, tile, glass, or other material used in the construction of a mosaic. I'm amazed by the duo's enthusiasm, imagination, inventiveness and ingenuity. By offering a contemporary slant on these captivating pieces, they achieve a marriage of the old and the new.
In La Quinte Estampie Real I like how the flute line sounds improvised, as though the music is being created on the wing, set against the chimes of a bell. Eya Herre Got Was Mag Das Gesein, which follows, is given over to the solo glockenspiel, and evokes a luminously vivid aural experience. Drums and flute conjure up a catchy dance in Eya Mater Fidelium. Philipp Lamprecht puts his vocal skills to good use in Can Vei La Lauzeta Mover, Bernart de Ventadorn's 12th Century 'lark song'. The text is sung against a flute and drone accompaniment. Full texts and translations into English, French and German of this delightful song are provided in the booklet. Ave maris stella pitches the glockenspiel against the flute’s virtuosic embellishments. The flute has the spotlight in Stabat iuxa Christi crucem, backed by some sparsely scored percussion. Chominciamento Di Gioia, with its rhythmically driven triplets on the flute and backed by a buoyant drum, is my particular favorite.
The duo Enßle-Lamprecht were founded in 2008 in Salzburg and specialize in rare repertoire, commissioning new works along the way. I don’t think that this is a recording I could listen to in one sitting, but is rather one to dip into. The music is beautifully recorded, and the engineers have captured a comfortable space around the two performers. Artful and imaginative, I would warmly recommend it.
Stephen Greenbank
