CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Fifth Edition, Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque (6 CDs)

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
from: W. W. Norton

Release Date January 01, 2006
The CDs in this set are not packaged in standard jewelboxes nor even in cheap sleeves, but are mounted directly atop a printed surface. As a result, when I purchased the set from my school bookstore, I found that several of the CDs had dried flecks of ink on the data side that made it impossible to play or rip certain tracks. Beware.

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Josquin Desprez: Motets & Chansons

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
by: Josquin Desprez, Paul Hillier, The Hilliard Ensemble

Release Date January 21, 1997
These performance are crystal claer, but seem to lack emotional investment.

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

The King's Singers Greatest Hits

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
from: EMI Classics

Release Date February 05, 2008
King's Singers Greatest Hits was disappointing. The contemporary music included did not have the smooth feel that one expects, and the classical pieces were all right but not spectacular. I did not feel that some of these pieces were greatest hits. I will probably go back to listening to older collections of their music.

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Music for the Spanish Kings

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
from: EMI Classics

Release Date June 05, 2001
This is a wonderful(double)CD, and great value for money. Anyone who loves early music would enjoy this. I'd been looking for Hesperion xx or xxi music for ages, as I'm always hearing them on Radio 3, and I just never came across their recordings in any shops, so this is a real treat. A good variety of sounds, with some beautiful solo singing. I shall definitely be looking for more of their recordings from Amazon in the future.

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

La Rocque 'n' Roll - Popular Music of Renaissance France / The Baltimore Consort

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
by: Ronn McFarlane, Chris Norman

Release Date September 28, 1993
I am not a scholar of the music being presented here, but it does seem to be well-handled on this fantastic-sounding recording. The Baltimore Consort has an excellent reputation for musicianship and this disk does not besmirch that. Personally I think that attempts to equate musics of the past with rockstardom are essentially silly and simpleminded, but that doesn't matter much if the music is good. And here it is good indeed.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Madrigal History Tour

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
by: The King's Singers, The Consorte of Musicke, various/anonymous/traditional, Anthony Rooley

Release Date January 01, 2004
A unique collection of renaissance madrigals, grouped by country of origin and sung in the appropriate English, German, French, Spanish or (in this reviewer's humble opinion) most beautiful - Italian. The King's Singers' clear vocal range from bass to contra tenor is showcased in this CD, absolutely the best in its genre. It's only too bad the video (it was originally a five-part television series) is not available.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

The Essential Tallis Scholars

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
from: Gimell UK

Release Date September 09, 2003
This CD is excellent - a "must have" for every collection. Beautiful voices, relaxing music.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Norton Recorded Anthology of Western Music, Concise Version (6 Compact Discs)

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
from: W. W. Norton

Release Date January 01, 2006
This CD is excellent - a "must have" for every collection. Beautiful voices, relaxing music.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Christmas in Rome [DVD Video]

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
from: Deutsche Grammophon

Release Date November 13, 2007
I was expecting a better quality of the music and the pictures together. Otherwise I still like the music.

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Discover Early Music

CD-Charts > Music > Chansons
from: Naxos

Release Date November 01, 2005
For anyone hoping to discover new types of music, compilation CDs offer an accessible overview from which they can pursue areas which interest them. The project is always a daunting task - how should one go about it and what should be included? Inevitably, the selection of chosen material is determined by the record company's existing catalogue; thus the resulting CD says more about them (here Naxos) than the repertoire itself (here early music). Nevertheless, 'Discover Early Music' is a laudable attempt, attractively packaged and supplemented with a readable booklet.

However, there are some real anomalies here...

1. Why is Guillaume de Machaut (c.1300-77), the most important figure of the Ars Nova, unrepresented? Why is the Italian Renaissance ... Read More: