Terrain Vague

If we want to explain the idea behind this CD, we have to go back to the moment three years ago when we decided to set the project up. As a duo made up of a lutenist and a singer, it was practically guaranteed that one day we would come into contact with John Dowland’s music, and the many lute songs that have been published in various editions in particular. For us, however, things happened in reverse: we found each other as musicians through our common interest in his songs. On this, our first CD, we look back and try to identify the elements in his music that so appealed to us during those three years — not only through his own work, but also through music by his contemporaries and works by more modern chansonniers. As a duo we have built up a small collection of such works over time, and it’s because of this that we decided to record songs by composers with a variety of nationalities, backgrounds and personalities, as well as from totally different periods; these works nonetheless come together perfectly in a programme thanks to their musical, textual and thematic similarities.

Coordonné
Coordonné is a young duo that was born in the rehearsal rooms of the Royal Conservatory in Ghent. Together they went to England to study the music of John Dowland under the guidance of Emma Kirkby and Jacob Heringman, among others. It would prove to be an incredibly inspiring experience, which led directly to this recording.

Anna Nuytten
Anna Nuytten is a Belgian mezzo-soprano who graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Ghent with Hendrickje Van Kerckhove. She already had the opportunity to work with extraordinary vocal coaches and artists, such as Delphine Galou, the King’s Singers, Emma Kirkby, Simone Kermes and Belgian soprano Hilde Coppé. She performs in numerous professional ensembles, including Currende, Saevus, Ex Tempore, Ratas de Viejo Mundo, Swara Vocal Ensemble, Lyra di Orfeo and Ghent Singers. Her activity in these groups brings her into close contact with both early and contemporary music. She conducts her own mixed choir Asem’ in Wervik, her hometown, which she established in 2018, and teaches singing in several academies in Flanders.

Thomas Langlois
Thomas Langlois is a Belgian lute / theorbo player. He is currently studying at the Royal Conservatory of Ghent with Wim Maeseele, while also doing a master’s degree in music theory with Marc Masson. To further develop himself as a musician, he followed several master classes with artists such as Jacob Heringman and Emma Kirkby, Philippe Malfeyt, Floris de Rycker, Paul Beier and Michael Chance.