Customer Reviews

The Celtic Viol

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

 

 

This will not be every traditional irish music lover's cup of tea simply because it is perhaps too refined and lacking in energy and dynamsim. It is essentially meditative and is a little limited by the fact that we have just a viol and an accompanying harpist - so we do not have a great deal of variety. Even so, it is interesting to hear Jordi's take on Irish and scottish music.

Jordi Savall does it again on this lovely album of traditional celtic tunes, including some classics from Neil Gow. Not strictly authentic, as these tunes would have been played on a fiddle but who cares, the result is captivating and the sound is not far from a fiddle anyway. My only criticism is that Andrew Lawrence-King's excellent accompaniment on psalterium is barely audible. An interesting departure for Savall and a most enjoyable release.

Great performance, beautiful sound.
I like the uilleann pipe and this celtic music with the viol is very surprising.

I put this CD in my car and is a cheerful music for the sunrise.

Really, this is a beautiful CD. It's a lesson in tone and pitch and really demonstrates someone who has reached perfection with their instrument. All the music is beautifully recorded and the production values are high. I can't wait to buy the second one. It's a stunning collection of music performed at the highest level.

My new favorite CD! Beautiful tones, amazing skill on a unique instrument. Since lots of the familiar Celtic tunes have old roots, it is really fun to hear pieces and parts pop up unexpectedly. Jordi Savall has put together a treasure.

This is a wonderful CD. I have to say though, I was expecting a something a little more, hmm, lyric and "hauting" in the music, but most of them are dances not ballads which is the particular kind of music I enjoy. But over all the music is good and I'm glad I got it. It's a very nice CD to have in your celtic collection

While Mr. Savall has been nothing short of brilliant in most of his earlier endeavours, this seems to be a cheap shot effort to cash in on the popularity of "celtic" music. Like many "classically" oriented musicians, Savall appears to lack respect for other traditions, and has produced a stilted, unmusical recording with little to praise other than the tone of his instrument. At any rate, it's clear that he didn't bother to learn anything about the style and performance practices of this rich and ancient body of music; a curious thing in a man who's made his name on doing just that in the field of baroque music.