It was with “The Cry” – or rather, “The Cries”, specifically those of Paris – that the Ensemble Clément Janequin introduced itself to modern audiences over 30 years ago. In this fascinating recital they explore the term’s many meanings, with a mixture of works ranging from Janequin (whose Cries of Paris are here revisited) to several contemporary composers, some of who take the concept into more visceral, disturbing directions. In many ways this is a new departure for Dominique Visse’s troupe. More surprising than the inclusion of contemporary works, perhaps, is that of 19th- and early-20th-century pieces in expertly judged arrangements by Visse himself, which allow us to peep into the world of the fairground and the music hall, with strong hints of Offenbach, among others. Though not all of it is necessarily great music, the charm of this recital is that of hearing a familiar instrument (I mean the ensemble) being taken in completely new direction, and showing every sign of enjoying itself immensely.

The notion of “cry” is taken into cyberspace (in Claude Ledoux’s Cri de Blog) and, more grimly, into torture-chambers in Bruno Ducol’s Le cri, which manages not to trivialise its subject and mostly steers a challenging course between formal balance and vital theatrical utterance. The most ambitious of the modern pieces, it shows off Visse’s astonishing vocal flexibility and capacity for lyricism and dramatic characterisation. Not all of the contemporary pieces have such a grim outlook, and the ensemble’s other members are heard more often than usual in their own right. Fans of the Ensemble will find plenty to ponder.