MusicWeb international2019 JanuaryafafJohan van Veen2019 January"Recommended: If a disc comes with the title Melancholia, you know you can't expect too much fun. Melancholia in music is mostly associated with the English renaissance, and in particular the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods ... One may conclude that I am sceptical about the concept of this programme as an expression of melancholia. That does not affect my appreciation of this recording as such ... The performances deserve nothing but praise. The ensemble consists of excellent voices which blend perfectly ... The engaging way of singing and the intensity with which the texts are treated, result in a compelling programme which will give every lover of early vocal music much to enjoy".Læs anmeldelse
BBC music magazine2018 DecemberafafPaul Riley (musikanmelder)2018 December"Director Geoffroy Jourdain describes this disc as the 'log book of a nocturnal journey' ... The results are a little uneven ... Some voices sit more comfortably in the ensemble than others ... But with serpent and soft-grained cornet mute added to a trio of viols, the instrumental interludes seduce even as they mourn".
Klassisk2019, nr. 52afafAndrew Mellor2019, nr. 52"Der var 'melancholia' længe før Lars von Trier. I anden halvdel af 1500-tallet ... søgte komponister poesi ud fra et udtryksfelt et sted mellem det melankolske og det kvalfulde ... I overrraskende udstrækning eksperimenterede de med dissonans og kromatiske toner til vokal tonesætning af tekst ... Resultatet er en time med de bedste værker ... og en unægtelig intens lytteoplevelse ... De balancerede og farvefulde stemmer i Les Cris de Paris kæmper ind imellem med mødet mellem polyfoni ... overfor flygtigt følelsesudtryk hørt i de engelske værker ... På plussiden hører vi en homogen korklang, der især vinder i de italienske værker".
The gramophone2018 OctoberafafEdward Breen2018 October"Editor's choice: The singers make a beautifully balanced sound with impressive fluency across each style ... There is a pleasing tension between a consort blend and the vital quirkiness of individual voices ... Jourdain's pairing of serpent, cornet and viols brings a gloriously rich hue to Byrd's music. To bastardise Victor Hugo, never was there such pleasure in being sad".