Capriccio Stravagante, Skip Sempe - Terpsichore: Muse of the Dance (2012) Hi-Res

Terpsichore was the name of the ancient Greek muse of the dance, as well as the title of a 1612 collection of dances published by the German composer Michael Praetorius, so it is a fitting name for this 2012 collection of late Renaissance dances by Praetorius and his English contemporary, William Brade. The vigorous playing by Capriccio Stravagante Renaissance Orchestra, conducted by Skip Sempé, makes this a high-energy album, and listeners who enjoy brusque, syncopated rhythms, the radiance of antique strings, and the unrefined sound of authentic wind and percussion instruments will delight in these performances. Praetorius' music receives the full complement of strings, cornetti, recorders, trombones, and percussion, while Brade's somber music for consort is assigned to the more subdued ensemble of violins, violas da gamba, violones, supported variously by lute, tiorbino, or virginal. There is scarcely a misstep in this program, and the liveliness of the playing sustains interest from beginning to end. Paradizo's reproduction is exceptional in capturing the bite and textures of the instruments, while at the same time preserving the roomy resonance of the acoustics.