CCMusic.com

Trombone Grande / Wim Becu, Oltremontano / Becu / Frescobaldi / Fontana / Monteverdi. Composer: Giovanni Martino Cesare, Gioseffo Guami, Mikolaj Zielenski, Giovanni Palestrina, Performer: Wim Becu, Orchestra/Ensemble: Oltremontano, Number of Discs: 1. The music is sober and serious, mixing freeform fantasias (themselves a mix of recitative and dance movements) with instrumental canzonas, and arrangements of vocal material. The performances by Oltremontano are expert. Hearing anywhere from one to three sackbuts (alto, tenor, and bass) played together with ease at moderate speed with the occasional very quick run, as in Guami's L'accorta, is a treat. The sound is crisp, with enough room to give body to instrumental resonance, and the balance subtly adjusts for softer instruments. In short, this is a release of largely Italianate material that should greatly please fans of the genre, and of the music from this period.