Víctor Torres, Stylus Phantasticus - Erlebach: Zeichen im Himmel (Alpha Collection) (2001/2021)

Printed in Nuremberg in 1694, Erlebach’s Six Sonatas for violin, viola da gamba and basso continuo, marked by both French and Italian influences, are among his few instrumental pieces to have survived. They are performed here by the Stylus Phantasticus ensemble, joined by the baritone Victor Torres for several expressive arias focusing on the theme of the ‘volatile destiny of the human being’.

After the success of the Red, Yellow, Blue, Pink and White collections (a total of sixty reissues) which gave a new lease of life to the pearls of the Baroque catalogues from our house labels, here are fourteen new titles which offer a chance to discover other treasures, whether Baroque or dating from an earlier or later era. Like the most recent series, this sixth instalment opens out onto the Classical repertory (Mozart by Ensemble 415 and Chiara Banchini) and the Renaissance (Févin by Doulce Mémoire and Denis Raisin Dadre); recordings that are an integral part of Alpha’s identity and history. Fourteen reissues performed by the leading musicians in the field, most of which received one or more awards on their original release. Proper booklets accompany the discs, with notes in three languages (French, English, German). Photographers from all over the world have been selected to illustrate the covers, this time with the guiding thread of the colour green, a symbol of nature, fertility . . . and hope!