Under the impulse of the Counter-Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church decided to appropriate the most popular among the secular songs of the time and to set them to new lyrics, thus creating so-called “spiritual parodies” that would be more conducive to meditation and more effective for home praying. In parallel emerged a naughty or even licentious literature revelling in stigmatizing the French clergy’s shortcomings, while mocking gently the lascivious aspirations of certain religious congregations.

The Ensemble Clematis returns with another album of discoveries. Carolus Hacquart was undoubtedly the most important composer in the Netherlands during the late 17th century. Nevertheless, he remains unknown to the public at large. The present programme alternates motets taken from his Cantiones Sacrae, performed by a strong cast of musicians, with instrumental pieces from his Harmonia Parnassia Sonatarum.

For its first recording, Ensemble Clematis presents the 17th-century Brussels composer Nicolaus à Kempis. Very little is known about him, but he left several publications of superb music with an Italian influence.