Kronborg is Denmark's most famous castle - the 'Elsinore' of Shakespeare - and within it's walls, sweet music. Kings Christian III, Frederik II and Christian IV harvested the bounty of Europe's musical wealth and crowned their lavish courts with song. In this majestic 8-CD set by Bo Holten and Musica Ficta are lute songs by Dowland, motets of Schutz, and world-premiere recordings of works by Palestrina, de Wert and Vecchi. These are no longer only echoes of a prosperous age, but now Denmark's golden musical past, regained anew. During its residency at Kronborg in 2021–2024, Musica Ficta presented this repertoire in a concert series in the castle’s Ballroom; the recordings gathered here were made separately, in dedicated sessions. Musica Ficta focused on works from the castle’s heyday, when there was a prosperous musical life there. This release marks a comprehensive celebration of 100 years of Danish musical life at Kronborg, Copenhagen and beyond, featuring music by: Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672) · John Dowland (1563–1626) · Hans Nielsen (c. 1580–1626) · Truid Aagesen (fl. 1593–1625) · Mogens Pedersøn (c. 1583–1623) · Hans Brachrogge (c. 1590–c. 1638) · Luca Marenzio (1553–1599) · John Bennet (c. 1575–1614) · Thomas Weelkes (1576–1623) · John Wilbye (1574–1638) · Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck (1562–1621) · Johann Grabbe (1585–1655) · Mattheus le Maistre (c. 1505–1577) · Pierre Sandrin (c. 1490–after 1561) · Giaches de Wert (1535–1596) · Josquin Baston (c. 1515–c. 1576) · Jan Tollius (c. 1550–c. 1620) · Gregorius Trehou (c. 1540–1619) · Jacques Arcadelt (1507–1568) · Melchior Borchgrevinck (c. 1570–1632) · Nicolas Gistou (d. 1609) · Claudio Monteverdi (1567–1643) · Leone Leoni (c. 1560–1627) · Agostino Agresta (fl. 1600–1617) · Girolamo Casati (c. 1590–after 1657) · Simone Molinaro (c. 1570–1636) · Marsilio Santini (fl. c. 1600) · Curtio Valcampi (fl. 1600–1610) · Ruggiero Giovannelli (c. 1560–1625) · Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594) · Giovanni Gabrieli (c. 1554–1612) · Antonio Mortaro (c. 1575–c. 1620) · Giovanni Croce (1557–1609) · Orazio Vecchi (1550–1605) · Leonhard Lechner (c. 1553–1606) · Guillaume Costeley (c. 1530–1606) · Vincenzo Ruffo (c. 1508–1587) · Gregor Lange (c. 1540–1587) · Arnold de Fine (c. 1530–1586) · Jørgen Presten (d. 1553) · Severin Tham (fl. c. 1540–1560) · Andreas Meier (fl. 1559)