Canciones y ensaladas

Released in 1998 by the harmonia mundi label, this recording features the Ensemble Clément Janequin under the direction of countertenor Dominique Visse. The album serves as a dedicated exploration of the 'ensalada,' a unique genre of Spanish secular music from the Renaissance characterized by its blend of varied musical styles, polyphonic textures, and humorous, often nonsensical, narrative lyrics. This collection captures the group's signature approach to the repertoire, which emphasizes the theatricality and vibrant rhythmic vitality inherent in 16th-century Spanish vocal music.

The ensemble, established in 1978 and named after the French Renaissance composer Clément Janequin, has long been recognized for its specialized focus on late Renaissance and early Baroque vocal works. Their interpretation of the ensalada—a complex, multi-layered form often associated with composers like Mateo Flecha the Elder—was received by critics as a benchmark for clarity and stylistic nuance. By balancing technical precision with the playful, folk-inspired elements of the source material, the ensemble helped bring a wider recognition to this niche genre of Hispanic music, grounding their performance in both scholarly research and an engaging, performance-oriented aesthetic.