Parle qui veut: Moralizing songs of the Middle Ages

The Sollazzo Ensemble’s debut album transports us to the world of 14th-century Italian troubadours. These moralising songs have social afflictions such as gossip and treachery firmly in their sights, but this is also witty, inventive, highly mischievous and often searingly beautiful music. Much of it is anonymous, but it’s a delight to discover composers such as Paolo da Firenze and Francesco Landini, whose complex melodies and harmonies—all within a strange, otherworldly medieval tuning—constantly surprise in their soaring freedom and invention. It’s hard to imagine this music performed more vibrantly.