Customer Reviews

Adam de la Halle: Le Jeu de Robin et de Marion

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Instead of performing it as a museum piece, the performers place modern humor (Holy Grail coconuts!) alongside the jolly (occasionally baudy) songs. Enjoyable as it is, it is nonetheless problematic. The narration is split into two separate stereo channels, the approximation of the original French dialect on the left, the modern English on the right. It's a bit confusing to listen to.

The notes are the biggest problem: There are no texts for any of the plainchants and motets scattered throughout the play. Also, the tracks listed on the back of the liner notes are totally wrong. How could they let a gaffe like that slip by?

Adam de la Halle: Le Jeu de Robin et de Marion is a recording that takes one back to Europe in the 13th century. On this Naxos recording from 2003 we get to hear Adam De La Halle's Le Jeau de Robin et de Marion under the direction of Tonus Peregrinus. I have written this many a time, but hearing music from mideval times shows that it was not the dark ages but a time filled of intelligence, culture and wit. Anthony Pitts has written the liner-notes which are both well-written and very informative. Highly recommended indeed. 5/5.

This is not exactly a music CD, since most of the time the performers are speaking, or more accurately, they narrate the cute story.

One does not have to be a scholar to understand that besides the title, nothing in this CD is not the middle ages.

Nevertheles, it's a funny adaptation that makes you listen to it with a tiny smile on your face.

Any way, the real hero here is the superb audiophile recording - a feast for any good system.

But as a piece of music - well, you certainly can skip on it.