Anne Azéma

The present recording proposes a repertoire of songs whose poetry and music are the work of troubadours and trouvères active in 12th- and 13th-century France. These pieces constitute in fact the first mediaeval surviving examples of song written in the vernacular. Here again is the Ensemble Constantinople, whose colourful instrumentation is graced by the presence of the soprano Anne Azéma, celebrated for her performances of mediaeval works.

Since 1998, the ensemble Constantinople, led by Kiya Tabassian, has been delving into the music of the Mediterranean during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The musicians have developed a unique approach that leaves them ample room for improvisation and creativity while respecting the basic forms of the music they reinterpret.

The sampler CD is intended to illustrate both the very rich world of the Mediterranean and the unique and eloquent art of Constantinople. Kiya Tabassian has chosen the contents from the 4 discs that the ensemble has made on the ATMA label, and has included a previously unpublished track with the participation of Daniel Taylor. This anthology also features three notable singers, all specialists in this repertoire: Françoise Atlan, Anne Azéma, and Ghada Shbeir.

In 2003 Constantinople received both the Discovery of the Year Opus prize and a Prix Étoile from Radio-Canada's Galaxie network.