Laughton & Humphreys is one of Canada's most exciting ensembles, winning critical and public acclaim for their versatility in performing music of Bach and Handel alongside contemporary works. All of the music on this recording was written or arranged for Laughton & Humphreys, and celebrates Canada's cultural heritage and natural beauty.

Trio Lyra's repertoire ranges from the Baroque through the twentieth century. They have commissioned and premiered works from some of the most prominent Canadian composers.

The music of Dances & Dirges is either lively and dance-like or more pensive and memorial in character.

The most compelling statements of composers can often be found in their miniatures. In celebration of their twentieth anniversary, Thirteen Strings of Ottawa is pleased to present this collection of reflective works from the 17th century to the present day.

The two works on this recording, La porte (The Door) and Plume, belong to a genre that can be called monodrama: one solo vioce tells a story set to music. In both pieces, the vocal style emphasizes the different levels of the text, that is, the general narration and the characters. The musical accompaniment further evokes the characters and the situations.