Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Musical Fusion with Broad Appeal, March 27, 2006
Afficianados of Early Western Music will recognize Lislevand, Estevan, and Savall as members of the superb Early Music ensemble Hesperion XXI, and may recognize some fragments of the music here from the Renaissance and Baroque repertoires, however, these are "historically informed" performaces with as much of an ear to modern times as ancient. The album title is appropriately ironic, referring at once to periods of "new music" such as the innovations of Monteverdi that pulled music from one era into another, but also to the fact that this is a new way of approaching antique musics, instruments, and performances. There is a great deal of expressive "sprezzatura" here; vivacious punctuation, demonstrative improvisation, and throughout the recording, a fusion of forms and styles that doesn't deny any particular era or region that the performers know of. This would be a perfect recording to listen to while reading, cooking, meditating or gardening, although it's rich enough to enjoy with one's full attention. Lislevand's playing is as impressively nimble as we've come to expect, but with greater allowances for freedom of play. Savall's lovely voice is clear as a bell, warm as a summer afternoon in Catalunya. Estevan's percussion was the biggest surprise for me on this disc. Quite a bit of it is colorative ... more suggestive of naturally occurring sounds than scored music. I'm not sure that there's such a thing as "Early Music World Fusion," although if so, this disc exemplifies the genre, and of course it's fitting that such a compelling exploration should appear on the adventurous ECM label. One of the most interesting releases of the season, well worth it if you're interested.
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27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most amazing CD I got..., June 19, 2006
Before all I must apologize of my basic English (I'm Italian mother-tongue). I've bought this ECM CD only a few days ago, after I've read the two reviews of it on this web site, and with no other knowledge of it at all. What a great surprise for ears, hearth and mind! I've already listened to it lot of time at home. Each time it sounds to me as a new experience, with different chromatic colors. I've founded in it not only Early Western Music, but a palette of different music... 'Cause I think that life is music, this CD could be in my opinion a 'good friend' for different situations of mind and hearth!
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A marvelous CD, June 10, 2006
I cannot improve upon the first reviewer's informative analysis, which I appreciate, but the minute I heard a selection from Nuove Musiche on our classical station, I ran to the computer to track it down, the sound was that beautiful and unique. What a graceful, elegantly realized album. The vocal line weaves a luminous silver thread throughout a seamless collection of pieces and improvisations, and the performances are subtle and superbly executed. I highly recommend this album, perfect from beginning to end, and congratulate Rolf Lislevand and the ensemble for their excellent work. I hope this album wins a well-deserved award.
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