The Ancient Miracles

The Ensemble Für Frühe Musik Augsburg is rightly counted among the leading groups for "authentic" medieval music. In their most vivid manners they appeal directly to the listener and show us that "authentic" must not mean antiquated, dusty, or academical. This compilation of the CD releases the ensemble has issued until 1995, is a special listening experience: entertaining, because the pieces are selected and arranged so that the maximum is achieved in variety. It is also used to span the entire measure by music, from Gregorian chant through the anonymous Troubadourlied to elaborate polyphonic sacred songs of the early Renaissance. Purely instrumental performances are not forgotten. Lively (sometimes even "rock" or "jazzy" sounding!). The whole thing is so fresh and unused, therefore, that one can hardly believe that even the "most recent" works presented here are almost 500 years old! Everything is the result of the superior processing and interpretation of the Augsburg art, and show us how to perform this music up to date, without doing violence to her. The clear voice of Sabine Lutzenberger is a special treat. If it were possible, I would give 7 stars!