Castle concerts

Renaissance of love. Madrigals from Bernardo Pisano to Monteverdi

The Ensemble La Sestina is specialised in the interpretation of Renaissance polyphony, both sacred and secular, and occasionally performs contemporary music. It was founded in 1999 and is directed by Adriano Giardina.

As far as the Renaissance is concerned, the ensemble's aim is both to unearth works lying dormant in libraries and to perform other, better-known works, each time carrying out in-depth musicological work. The practice of contemporary music enables it to enrich its expressive palette.

La Sestina usually performs in chapel formation (eight to fifteen singers), alternating between tutti and solo ensembles. Occasionally, the ensemble is more intimate. Instrumentalists can also join in.

Four CDs illustrate his career. The first was devoted to L'Album de Marguerite d'Autriche, one of the most important songwriters of the early sixteenth century. This was followed by two recordings focusing on Spanish composers: Tomás Luis de Victoria and Francisco Guerrero. His fourth disc was released in May 2014. Entitled The Legend of Josquin Desprez, it focuses on some of the musical tributes paid to Josquin by composers of the sixteenth century. It concludes with a piece by Victor Cordero, a contemporary musician from Neuchâtel, written in the same spirit. The last two recordings have been released by Deutsche Harmonia Mundi (Sony Music). All these recordings have been very well received by the international specialist press.