Josquin, di Lasso and traditional

COMPOSERS: di Lasso and traditional,Josquin
LABELS: ECM
ALBUM TITLE: Romaria
WORKS: The Dowland Project: works by Josquin, di Lasso and traditional
PERFORMER: John Potter (tenor), Milos Valent (violin, viola), John Surman (saxophone, bass clarinet, recorders), Stephen Stubbs (baroque guitar, vihuela)
CATALOGUE NO: 476 5780

With this, its third mesmeric and magical album, the Dowland Project applies its modus operandi – developing new realisations of early music through improvisation and experimental interaction – to a selection of pieces from the early-13th to late-16th centuries. Purists may quibble, but the results are convincing and, more importantly, utterly compelling and ravishingly beautiful.Since the last album there have been significant changes: the double-bass (Barry Guy) has gone and Maya Homburger has been replaced by Milos Valent. The project is still a storehouse of varied experience: Milos Valent (violin and viola) has a background in folk, early and classical music; John Potter, one of the finest tenors around, has an impressive track-record in both early and contemporary music; Stephen Stubbs, though using baroque guitar and vihuela here, is a distinguished lutenist; John Surman, once the enfant terrible of free-jazz baritone sax, has for years been mellowing into a composer and performer pervaded with the English pastoral tradition. No baritone here: the low-end is taken care of by his beautiful, sensitive work on bass clarinet. His soprano-sax and recorder contributions are equally gorgeous.