Customer Reviews

40 Obras Fundamentales

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This is great for anyone who really likes to listen to classic Mercedes Sosa. The 2 discs are a good buy, and many of her best over the years are on them.

Recently deceased Mercedes Sosa (1935-2009) was one of the greatest Argentinean folk singer!
She jumps to public attention when she was fifteen years old winning a singer's radio contest in Tucuman, her natal Province. From that point on she continues growing up as a notorious figure in the folk singers medium.
Due to difficult political situation at Argentina in 1979 she was forced into exile by military Junta, revisited Argentina briefly in 1982, giving a live recital and returned definitely in 1984 with the arrival of democracy, where she resided until her death.
In her life she won many musical awards, amongst them we may mention Latin Grammy Award for Best Folk Album 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009.

The 40 songs in these two CDs reflect Mercedes' musical life, not only Argentinean music but a wide and rich Latin American repertoire.
CD 1 Song 3 "Alfonsina y el Mar" (Alfonsina & the Sea) whose text is authored by Argentinean historian Felix Luna and music composed by Ariel Ramirez, tells the tragic end of poet Alfonsina Storni. Mercedes give a pungent interpretation.
CD 1 Song 13 "Sueño con Serpientes" (Dreaming with Serpents) authored by Cuban Silvio Rodriguez presents the struggle between the Poet & the Serpent in a dream like language. Mercedes' voice reaches very high notes singing this song.
CD 1 Song 17 "Solo le Pido a Dios" (I Only Ask God) authored by Argentinean folk singer and composer Leon Gieco is a hymn to life and human values and has been translated and sang in many languages, here Mercedes voice reaches audience's heart without fail.
CD 2 Song 1 "Balderrama" whose text is authored by Manuel J. Castilla and music composed by Cuchi Leguizamon, two well known folklorists, describes what happens in Salta's most famous "peña", a sort of pub where customers and artists mix freely, sing and drink from sunset till dawn, Mercedes fully evokes this ambiance.
CD 2 Song 4 traditional motive "Luna Tucumana" (Tucuman's Moon) (authored by Pablo del Cerro and Atahualpa Yupanqui) is a tender song addressing the Moon, as seen from the valleys of Tucuman, nicknamed "The Garden of the Republic", due to the wonderful woods full of flowers and rare trees that populate the smallest Argentina's Province; is more in line with Mercedes' usual compilations and very dear to her.
CD 2 Song 6 Isella's "Cancion con Todos" (Song with Everyone) may drive the audience absolutely mad!

These are only some of the themes that compose this beautiful double album. You shouldn't miss it by all means!

Reviewed by Max Yofre.

I loved this CD. It has all my favourite Mercedes Sosa songs on it and with 2 CDs, you can have hours of listening. If you don't know Mercedes' work well, here you have a great selection of her best music.

Mercedes Sosa is earthy, real, always spectacular and surprising with her beautiful song "of and for" the people of the Latin American World.

She died too soon, and this may be one of the better compilations of her music... Well worth the money.

I gave this to my mother for mother's day and she loved it! Thank you so much for having it available.
Sincerely,

Monica