Bestiarium: Animals in the Music of the Middle Ages
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CD Details
Composer: AnonymousComposer: Jehan Vaillant
Composer: Oswald von Wolkenstein
Composer: Jacopo da Bologna
Composer: Codex Faenza Anonymous
Composer: Italian Anonymous
Composer: Trouveres Anonymous
Composer: Marcabru
Composer: Carmina Burana Anonymous
Composer: Donato da Firenze
Composer: Irish Traditional
Composer: English Anonymous
Composer: Breton Traditional
Composer: Giovanni da Firenze
Composer: Francesco Landini
Composer: French Anonymous
Performer: La Reverdie
Performer: Claudia Caffagni
Performer: Livia Caffagni
Performer: Elisabetta de Mircovich
Edition: Music CD
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2006-07-11
Music Label: Nuova Era
Soundtracks:
- Chançonnette / Ainc voir / A la cheminée / Par verité (Veritatem), motet
- Par maintes foys, virelai
- Ihr alten weib frewet ew
- Aquil' altera/Creatura gentil/Ucel de Dio, madrigal for 3 voices (also instrumental version)
- Aquila Altera, madrigal
- Canto delle scolte
- En ma forest, pastourelle
- L'Autrier jost' una sebissa, troubadour song ('Nota sebissa')
- Ich was ein chint so wolgetan, CB 185
- Lucida pecorella, madrigal
- Na coire ar na sleibhtibh
- Fuweles in the Frith
- Osellecto selvaggio per stagione, madrigal for 2 voices
- Bryd one brere (Bird on a Briar), song
- L'aspido sordo
- Ar bleizi-mor
- I fu' già bianch' uccel
- Chon brachi assai
- Wol auff wir wellen slauffen
- Cosi pensoso, caccia for 3 voices, S. 219
Music reviews of Bestiarium: Animals in the Music of the Middle Ages
Music Review: The poor documentation robs this of one star, otherwise superb
Rating: 4 Stars
La Reverdie is an Italian ensemble that has been in existence now for over 20 years and has produced something like 15 CDs, most of which have been greeted enthusiastically by Early Music and "HIPP"-favouring critics. All the CDs are lovingly produced and painstakingly researched, providing both historical accuracy (so far as this is possible with truly "ancient" music) and superb musicianship. The "Bestiarum" appears to have been La Reverdie's debut CD, having been recorded in May 1990 (in the Parliament Chamber of Udine Castle in Italy) and released in 1991 by both Nuova Era and Cantus Records. Cornet player Doron David Sherwin, the only permanent male member of the ensemble, does not appear here as a performer, but is listed as Artistic Director. The four ladies of La Reverdie (Claudia and Livia Caffagni, Ella and Elisabetta de' Mircovich) play their usual assortment of medieval instruments (rebec, santur, lute, tabor, harp, lyre, recorder, fiddle) and also sing with an almost other-worldly beauty and dedication, their voices sounding fresh and innocent. Amazingly, they sing here not only in Latin and Italian, but also in French, Middle English, New High German (Wolkenstein), Middle High German (Ich was ein Chint so wolgetan) and even Breton (Ar bleizi-mor, a 9th century anonymous song about the Norse invaders of Northern France). There are madrigals and solos here, also a few purely instrumental pieces, including a haunting traditional Irish double jig ("Na coire ar na sleibhtibh"). Basically, there are two reasons why I am only giving this four stars instead of the five that my enthusiasm first inclined me to. One is that this "first attempt" by La Reverdie still lacks some of the subtlety and intensity of their later recordings for the Arcana label. Nuova Era's engineering is good, very good in fact, but is not as spacious or as realistic as the later Arcana productions. And the booklet, although adequate, cannot compare with those that were to come later: there is an essay by Ella de' Mircovich in Italian and English, a list of sources for the sung material and a list of the instruments used (including by whom they were made), but the song texts themselves are only printed in the original and in an Italian translation, leaving English speakers to fend for themselves. That is a pity, for this music deserves to be listened to with the utmost attention!
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