Claude Le Jeune (1530-1600) makes his own first appearance on CD, and joins only a very few other CD examples of late-renaissance music, with a beautifully performed collection of 12 chansons, three fantaisies and one lute solo. Melancholy and lively numbers are nicely interspersed, as are the groupings for four to seven voices with or without viols and lute accompaniment. The instruments are modern copies of renaissance period originals and the whole effect is of authenticity in its best sense. There is a helpful three-language essay plus the words of the songs in French only. The recording is well balanced with presence given more priority than ambience.'