Cantigas De Santa Maria (Alfonso X El Sabio)

Alfonso X (el Sabio) (Artist), Joel Cohen and Mohammed Briouel (Artist), Francoise Atlan (Artist), Anne Azema (Artist), Hayet Ayad (Artist), Equidad Bares (Artist), Said Chraibi (Artist), Camerata Mediterannea (Composer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Composer: Camerata Mediterannea
• Audio CD (October 19, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B0000206A9
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #289,844 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Nawba Ramal al-Maya / Bughya (overture)

2. Cantiga de Santa María 100, Santa Maria, strela do dia

3. Cantiga de Santa María 406, Ben vennas, Mayo, e con alegria

4. Cantiga de Santa María 370, Loemos muit' a Virgen Santa María

5. Cantiga de Santa María 90, Sola fusti, senlleira

6. Cantiga de Santa María 52, Mui gran dereit' é d' as bestias obedecer

7. Nawba Gharibat al-Husayn / Tushiyas (prelude)

8. Cantiga de Santa María 230, Tod' ome deve dar loor

9. Cantiga de Santa María 130, Quen entender quiser, entendedor

10. Cantiga de Santa María 56, Gran dereit' é de seer

11. Nawba Irak al-Ajam / Mizan Darj - Sana "Kouli Lmalihti"

12. Cantiga de Santa María 320, Santa María leva

13. Cantiga de Santa María 200, Santa María loei

14. Cantiga de Fiestas de Santa María 417, Nobre don e muy preçado foi Sant

15. Nawba Gharibat al-Husayn / Mizan Bacit - Sana "Kad nilto hibbi"

16. Cantiga de Santa María 140, A Santa María dadas

17. Nawba Rasd al-dhil / Mizan Koddam - Sana "Allah hoo Yalamo"

18. Cantiga de Santa María 250, Por nos, Virgen Madre

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alfonso's/Cohen's Cantigas, March 2, 2000

By 

Jessica Knauss (Leeds, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cantigas De Santa Maria (Alfonso X El Sabio) (Audio CD)

This is one of the finest performances I have heard of the Cantigas de Santa Maria. By focusing on the "loores" (every tenth cantiga, Alfonso's personal praises of the Virgin Mary) the disc takes on a very personal tone, and by the end, the listener is inside the mind of Alfonso X. The choices of instruments and when to use them (or not to use them) is extremely judicious, and the playing and singing is very fine. The pronunciation of the Galician is also excellent, and none of the songs are cut in order to shorten the performance time. Though the influence of eastern music on the Cantigas is very controversial, its deliberate use here, in the microtones and rhythmic patterns, is extremely effective and gives the whole disc an atmosphere of authenticity not many have. On top of all that, it is a very "listenable" disc (unless you absolutely can't stand these eastern influences). The juxtaposition of a song in Arabic with "A Santa Maria dadas" is shocking, but again, effective. These kinds of educated guesses are the closest we will get to hearing what the Cantigas have to tell us, and this disc seems to be not far off the mark.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars please make a more inclusive listing!, May 22, 2002

By 

Joel Cohen (Amesbury, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cantigas De Santa Maria (Alfonso X El Sabio) (Audio CD)

Just for your information, there are two ensembles participating here: The Andalusian Orchestra of Fez, Morocco, directed by Mohammed Broiel, and the Camerata Meditrranea, directed by Joel Cohen. The overall conception is the work of Joel Cohen.

This CD won the 2000 Edison Prize in the Netherlands for best early music release.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Transcendent, May 16, 2000

By 

"gaios33" (Berkeley, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cantigas De Santa Maria (Alfonso X El Sabio) (Audio CD)

Just to add a note to the previous reviewer's comments: the last song--"Por nos virgen madre," a solo by Anne Azema with harp--is the most beautiful song I have ever heard in my life; it brought tears to my eyes with its tender passion. Forget those classical composers with their gigantic orchestras; Anne Azema always seems to work miracles in subtlety and grace with the most minimal accompaniment. This great recording is NOT to be missed.