Customer Reviews

Jérusalem [Includes Book] [Hybrid SACD]

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

 

 

This is quite a fascinating cd. It includes a large book in 8 languages, and two very interesting cds.

The music on here is a collection of early works and compositions that consist of chant, songs, dances and texts that are spoken and sung from the Qa'ran, the Bible, and the Talmud. There are also texts in Greek, Latin, French, Aramaic, and Ladino that reflect the range of Jewish peoples and crusaders that seek out this important religious center.

The playing is above par and masterfully executed by Jordi Savall and specialists in early music, Hebrew music and Arabic chant and dance. You really get a feel for the music of the people that have occupied and fought over this land. The book is interesting, full of texts and translations - a little apocalyptic and overly zionist, but very interesting, my main complaint is that there isn't much of musicological value that discusses the sources and background to the music. There's a bit, but not quite the usual information found in other Savall cds.

I would reccomend anyone who is interested in early music, world music, and historical and sacred texts to understand and further appreciate the value of Jerusalem.

In two well-filled CDs, Jordi Savall, wife Montserrat Figureras, and colleagues attempt to paint a picture of Jerusalem's history in sound. The recording begins with the sound of shofars in a Jericho fanfare, which is presumably intended to evoke Joshua's circumnavigation of that other city. Following sections comprise a selection of music and texts representative of the Jerusalem's time as a Jewish, Christian, and Arab/Ottoman city, as well as songs of pilgrimage and lament over the holy city. Spoken texts include excerpts from the Talmud, Koran, a non-canonical gospel, and Pope Urban's call to the first crusade.

Savall's ensemble Hesperion XXI is joined by singers and instrumentalists from Israel, Palestine, Armenia, Greece, Morocco, and elsewhere. The music from Palestine is played by the Sufi Group Al- Darwish. The performances are superb, and the SACD sound is first-rate. "The whole thing has the sense of a scrupulous piece of historical and musicological research," as Andrew Clements has written in the Guardian, "even if it doesn't all gel into a satisfying experience." In May 2010 Savall is bringing this program to the Boston Early Music Festival, and I suspect that the program may be more effective in concert than on disc.

The accompanying book is beautifully done but reaches 435 pages in length only because it is in eight languages. As a previous reviewer has noted, the essays focus on the history of Jerusalem and its musical tradition and provide relatively little detail about the specific selections in the recording.

I enjoy both contemporary and classic works from Philip Glass to the Medieval Babes, Jerusalem fits closer the latter. It is an interesting fusion of mid eastern and european work.
I really like listening to this album and recommend it to anyone who enjoys this kind of music as well.

This is a fantastic album detailing the music from the earliest times in Jerusalem to modern times. The singers and instrumentalists are superb. You can listen to it over and over again and find new meanings every time. Jordi Savall has done a magnificent job.

I was so excited to get this - but when I put it into my cd player it did not work. My CD player says "DVD" - so I have had to put it into my DVD player attached to my TV. Is there a reason why this won't play on my CD player?

A very poor and dissapointing album from one of the best ensembles of ancient music.
It is something like the bad joke that start thus:
"A christian, a muslim and a jew were...".
The album tries to cover the last 3000 years' music in two cd's... well, gimme a b...
Some of the pieces here are taken from other albums of the ensemble,
and one can't escape from the feeling that this is an afterthought project.
Nevertheles, the performances are excellent.

By the way, the Hebrew translation in the linear notes is horrible and full of mistakes.

Mind you, you can't say that on their beautifull albums
La Ruta de Oriente and Paraisos Perdidos.

The 2 stars are for the great recording.