'Notturno', the first disc by L'Escadron Volant de la Reine, The Flying Squadron of the Queen: a designation for the ladies-in-waiting recruited by Catherine de Médici, who were given the responsibility of 'diplomacy' [or intrigue] at the court. It is the result of several years' teamwork on Italian music of the late 17th century. L'Escadron Volant, founded in 2012, have chosen to record this Neapolitan repertoire (Caresana, Scarlatti, Veneziano) for its beauty, and because it corresponds exactly to the ensemble's forces. These are pieces for four instrumental parts: two violins, viola and basso continuo, and a vocal part - beautifully sung by Eugénie Lefebvre. They focus on works written for Holy Week, settings of the Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah, works of somewhat mystical import that in each case begin with the declamation of a letter from the Hebrew alphabet: Aleph, Beth, Ghimel, Daleth, and so on. The cd booklet comes with a witty insert inviting the listener to take their seat continuing with an introduction to the cabin crew… Fasten your seatbelts: a splendid maiden flight!