Customer Reviews

Praetorius: Dances from Terpsichore

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

 

 

This is an extraordinary recording of a fraction of the Praetorius Dances from "Terpsichore" (he didn't write them, he just collected them, and there are hundreds). They range from genteel courtly dances to rumbustious affairs that are the equivalent of modern disco and which make all the ornaments on my mantelpiece dance with joy. The disc crackles and buzzes with the most extraordinary and delicious sounds - shawms, crumhorns, hurdy-gurdys, racketts - all served with a very nice recording. Quite simply, a must-have

Take a break from your worries. My recommendation: turn off all electrical lighting and place a few candles about in a darkened room. Take the phone off the hook and set the dogs to patrolling the yard. Be sure the ambient temperature is agreeable. Sip from a glass of wine, smoke a cigarette, slip on some good headphones and drift away. Your ears will thank you.

Praetorius' collection of dance music is given here a marvelous interpretation and rendering on period instruments by Pickett and the New London Consort.

From one track to the next, it rings and warbles with sounds unlike we hear today, even in the age of synthesized output. These are just such catchy little ditties, you'll find they do lighten the load and get one tapping the feet and humming the tunes, if not even breaking out in dance.

This is simply outstanding and unique.

This disk lacks the medieval feel that I had hoped for. Many of the pieces sound baroque, similar to Handel's water music, with a lot of trumpets, and drums beating in a martial way. The rest are softer, but lack any real personality... they sound like a wind-up toy music box. I'm disappointed in the music, and unhappy with the disk.