Collections of Renaissance and early Baroque court music are always fun listening when they are as well-made as this one. Granted, there’s little new here: if you are old enough to remember David Munrow’s early-music collections for EMI then you will know what to expect–a lively selection of short dance pieces and instrumental polyphony, and a tangy deployment of unusual timbres.
The first disc covers the period 1450-1530. Most of the composers remain anonymous, but the tunes are often captivating, and the arrangements juxtapose consorts of wind and brass instruments with pieces for strings (including harp and guitar).
Disc 2 takes up the story in 1530 and treats us to 160 years of fantasias, variations, and other pieces, now by several composers whose names are familiar to us: Juan del Enzina, Clement Janequin, Diego Ortiz, Orlando di Lasso, and Joan Cabanilles. A great deal of this music isn’t notated: it has to be improvised on the spot. Jordi Savall and his team are pros at this sort of thing. The selections offer maximum contrast not just in texture, but also in tempo and rhythm (percussion–drums and tambourine–makes a frequent appearance). Terrific sonics add to the pleasure of this genuine “you are there” experience. [4/8/2009]
