This is the latest of Jordi Savall’s excursions into the depths of Medieval and Renaissance Spanish music, a series that always garners superlatives and rarely disappoints. This release is no exception. Conceptually, it is a little strained in that it tries to present a program of music that arrives at a sort of crossroads among the various people and cultures that interacted in Hesperia during the Middle Ages, and especially with the discovery of the New World. The premise is that despite the often violent clashes that occur among civilizations, the musical works left behind demonstrate a common thread of humanity and tolerance, where the ideas of mystery and faith transcend any local particulars of expression.
At least I think that is what it means—the notes are rather obscure and philosophical, and don’t have much impact on you when listening to this wonderful music. Just a glance at the program, besides the unusual Valencian Song of the Sibyl (a musical form/play that talks about the Last Days, and was eventually banned by the church for its pagan connections) shows us a number of familiar names and song types—Cristobal de Morales, Josquin des Pres, and Juan Gutierrez de Padilla, along with other Negrillas, Guarachas, and Villancicos—that might be found on any such album. Interestingly enough, the emphasis here is primarily on the Nativity, interspersed with songs that affect the inhabitants of the local cultures. Yet the thread of faith, of Christianity, does indeed run though this program, manifested in words and music that are quite different, yet feel quite comfortable as given here.
Montserrat Figueras is no stranger to those who have purchased any of Savall’s other offerings, and she works her wonders here also (though the Sibyl is a re-release from 1999), and the rest of the marvelous choral and instrumental work maintains the high standards we now expect from this source. The sound is brilliantly clear and resonant, a balm to the ears. I almost consider this a Christmas album, so by all means consider it as a stocking stuffer!
— Steven Ritter
