S

ollazzo Ensemble makes its recording debut following its prize-winning performance at the highly respected biennial York Early Music International Young Artists Competition. Comprising sopranos Perrine Devillers and Yukie Sato, tenor Vivien Simon, medieval fiddles Anna Danilevskaia and Sophia Danilevskaia, and harpist Vincent Kibildis, this vibrant young ensemble offers a fresh perspective on mediaeval repertoire. On Parle qui veut the performers embrace the exuberant style of flourishing melodies which was fashionable in the north of Italy in the fourteenth century. In contrast, a different kind of expressivity is required for the sober and succinct aesthetic of the works with French provenance. Sollazzo creates a pure, bright sound, enhanced by the songs’ incredibly open textures and the use of the rarely heard Pythagorean temperament. All in all, this represents a remarkable debut.