Ensemble Phoenix Munich was founded in 2003 by the American bass and lutenist Joel Frederiksen. For this Adriatic edition of Laus Polyphoniae the group compiled a programme with little known religious and secular music from 16th-century Croatia.

One of the composers who will get pride of place, is Andrea Antico da Montona. He secured his place in the history of music with the first printed volume of keyboard music:Frottole intabulate per sonar organi. Other names featuring on the programme are Franciscus Bossinensis (presumably of Bosnian extraction), Julije Javetić and Andrija Patricius. The concert ends with a Mass in four parts by Gabriello Puliti: a triumph of imitative polyphony, based on a madrigal by Palestrina.

Performers
Lydia Brotherton, soprano | Franz Vizthum, alt | Daniel Auchincloss, haute-contre  | Giovanni Cantarini, tenor | Tim Evans, tenor  |Joel Frederiksen, bass, lute & artistic direction | Michael Gondko, lute | Domen Marincic,  viol, virginal & organ

Programme
Work by Franciscus Bossinensis, Andrea Antico da Montona, Julije Javetić , Giovanni
Pierluigi da Palestrina, Gabriello Puliti en Andrija Patricius
Listen to Ensemble Phoenix Munich on their website

‘But the real gem here is the disc from the Munich-based Ensemble Phoenix, directed by the American abroad Mr. Frederiksen: a widely varied collection of musical Americana rendered with consistent beauty and restraint.’ (See Reviews of Rose of Sharon)
New York Times, July 28, 2011

‘Ensemble Phoenix makes ancient music come alive.’
Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 14, 2010