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Reviews: Bolivian Baroque - Florilegium

Reviews: 2

Review by nickc March 1, 2005 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
This is a disc of 18th. century sacred music from the missions of Bolivia which unfortunately wasn't what I was expecting. I was hoping for something in the vein of the Harp Consort's "Missa Mexicana" (a magnificent disc I highly recommend) or Alpha's CD "Sons of the Diabolos" - something with real South American colour. These pieces could have come from any European country - not that there is anything wrong with that! The pieces are generally small scale cantatas with native Bolivian singers providing the vocal parts which are beautiful in their own right. Finally in the last track we are treated to a 3 minute improvisation which to me was almost the highlight of the disc. So even though it wasn't what I originally hoped it is still recommendable.
The playing of Florilegium is beyond reproach and the recording is a typical Jared Sacks production: up close so the instruments (and voices)are almost tactile in their reproduction. Peformance warrants 5 stars but I will only give 4 because I wanted more local colour!

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Review by mwagner1962 May 23, 2005 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
As a long time fan of Baroque music (and a person who is vigorously re-educating himself), I bought this disc as a friend recommended it. I was not disappointed, though I will agree with the previous reviewer that there is little of anything to make me think of anything other than some normal European Baroque.

BUT.....I love the singing on this recording (all local Bolivian singers, which is really cool) and the playing of Florilegium is simply top notch. It really sounds like these folks are having fun while making great music.

To me, sonically, the miking is a touch on the hot side, though not too bad. We get a nice sense of the location that the music was recorded in, and there is nice spacing between the players as well as a good sense of air. In the DVD-V that is included, we hear that the speakers that were promised for the playback for the editing turned out to be simply unacceptable, so the recording engineer had to do all the editing with headphones...so maybe this explains the somewhat close miking.

Speaking of the DVD-V...this makes the "package" a really super deal. Not only do we get to see all the work what transpired prior to the making of this recording, we also get some video shots of the many local Bolivian musical groups playing their hearts out...and this is truly heartwarming. Perhaps most touching is seeing the emotions pour out of the tenor, Henry Villca, as he appears to be overwhelmed with the excitement of the music and the experience. I can understand how he felt, as I was the same way in April of 1991 when I was a member of one of two choirs from Ohio State that performed and recorded Mahler's 8th Symphony with the Atlanta Symphony and Robert Shaw. Sometimes, the excitement and awe of the moment is simply too much to handle.

I look forward to more Florilegium recordings, and maybe some more efforts like this, though it might be nice to add a more "Bolivian" touch!!!!

Recommended!!!!

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