Customer Reviews

Marin Marais: Suitte d'un Goût Etranger [Hybrid SACD]

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

 

 

Once again Maestro Savall breathes actual life into one of the unsung greats of early modern music. Marais' explortions of "foreign" themes and tropes is as usual handled deftly and passionately by Savall and his team of artists. I just got this 2 disc set as an early birthday gift and can't stop playing it. It is in turns sad and thoughtful, warm and comforting, playful and clever. The perfect music for a chilly early January. The only flaw is that the hybrid SACD won't copy to Itunes so I can't carry this edifying music on the new Nano! That said, don't hesitate to come in from the cold and join in discovering Marais' blending of French and Italian, Catholic and Jansennist, Royalist and Subversive (all at the same time!) music once again brought to us by the peerless Savall and his team.

Since his performance as a viola da gamba virtuoso in the film "Tous les Matins du Monde", Jordi Savall has been associated with the French Baroque repertoire for this instrument. Indeed, Savall should be credited from rescuing from oblivion marvellous pieces by composers such as Fourqueray and Sainte-Colombe. But, first and foremost, his interpretation of Marin Marais music has a unique blend of authenticity and expressiveness. What is noteworthy is that his performances have evolved in time. He has now reached what I regard as the ideal blend of passion and sensibility. I had the privilege of attending a performance of some of these pieces by Savall in a recent trip to Vienna. I can attest that the sound quality of this SACD is the closest thing to seeing the maestro perform. This is a CD to heard, treasured and above all, shared with other music lovers. Bravo, maestro Savall!

Beautifully played viola da gamba as only J.Savall can play as long as I know. I also hear the previous Livre IV Naive or Glossa (¿?) label in my humble opinion Savall does much better here.

Recording must have been extraordinary, because most AliaVox-Hesperion recordings (mostly when small groups) sound superb playing in spanish cathedrals. Nevertheless CD layer on this hybrid SACD is poor comparing pure-only CD on AliaVox. It's a pity. Just listen Livre II pure CD, is much better sounding (superb positively)

Sounds so great on my OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player with SACD, DVD-Audio, and VRS Technology