Customer Reviews

El Cant De La Sibilla I

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

 

 

Figueras is justly known for her romantic and passionate voice - but in these recordings, medieval poems of immanent apocalyptic destruction, she is meant to be no less than the voice of God. This is not a CD to listen to at dinner; it is slow and heavy, with the same long poem performed three times in three versions. However, I believe it is one of the best CDs of my favorite performer. The clarity and power of her voice are starkly frightening as she portends fire and death upon the world -- don't listen to it alone!

This is one of my most treasured CDs. Although the version I have dates from 1988 on the Astree Auvidis label, it is the same performance as on this Fontalis CD. The music, singing and the whole effect is deeply profound and moving. Above all, it makes me cherish the threads of civilization that link us to our collective past, via this music from 1000 years to maybe 700 years ago.

It is not something I play often, because it is such powerful music. My life is better for knowing this music has existed though the ages and for having this CD.

I melted into a puddle of complete absorbed pleasure over this CD. Phenominal 5 stars

Seriously. This is 5+ star material; if you can find it, GET IT! I first encountered this while driving home and turned on the radio to catch the middle of 'something definititely different and spectacular.' Hitting the driveway, I parked and slammed a blank casette into the recorder and got about the final 5 minutes of the Catalan Sybil, but I didn't know what it was. I recorded all the commentary and blather from the host of the program, but nowhere, no time did he say Hesperion XX or Cant de la Sibila. All I knew was a lot of blather and the odd reference to a Sybil... hopefully not Sybil Fawlty. Maddening. Years later, literally, I was in a local music shop and thought to ask a salesman if he was aware of anything to do with Sybils. No. However, we looked into a catalog and finally the Spanish title jumped out and the bell went off with the recorded comment of 'the Sybil's song ... blather blather'.

Yes, this was it. Paydirt and what a surprise to find that there were three of them. The first a very 'Greek chorus' sort of performance (the basses shake the floor with those sustained notes), the second a more medieval sound with a lute or so, and a very operatic one that has incredible sonorities and totally unexpected instrumental interludes: especially the last five minutes which were sounding very familiar by now. Heavenly, dark, brooding, soaring, masterful at all levels and by all performers; this was more incredible than my long-ago 'discovery' of Carmina Burana a la Carl Orff and a la Clemencic Ensemble. (Geeze, and this from a guy who doesn't care for vocal music.)

However, when a piece is masterfully balanced ... you gotta admit it and love it. This is all thumbs up and more if I had 'em.

BUY IT!