RecentMusic - Ferrara Ensemble New Releases

Ferrara Ensemble

The Ferrara Ensemble is a renowned group celebrated for its sensitive and insightful performances of late medieval music, particularly from the 14th and early 15th centuries. Founded by Crawford Young, the ensemble derives its name from the city of Ferrara, a vibrant cultural center during the Renaissance, known for its patronage of the arts and music. The group typically consists of singers and instrumentalists who specialize in historical performance practice, creating an authentic sound that reflects the ensemble's deep research and understanding of the period.

Throughout their discography, the Ferrara Ensemble has paid homage to the rich tapestry of medieval music through albums like "Machaut: Mercy ou mort," which explores the works of Guillaume de Machaut, a pivotal figure in medieval music. Their release "Figures of Harmony: Songs of Codex Chantilly c. 1390" delves into the complex and ornamental style of the Ars Subtilior, as found in the Codex Chantilly, with a finesse that brings out the nuances of this challenging repertoire. The ensemble's album "Hildebrandston: Canzonieri tedeschi del Quattrocento" presents a collection of songs from 15th-century German songbooks, offering listeners a glimpse into the rich cultural exchange and blossoming of vernacular music of the period. "Forse che sí, Forse che no: Dance Music in the Quattrocento," showcases the lively and sophisticated dance music that was an integral part of the social fabric in 15th-century Italy, further cementing the ensemble's reputation for exploring the depths of early music with both scholarly rigor and artistic flair.

Genres