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Label:
   Alia Vox - http://www.alia-vox.com/
Serial:
   AVSA9806
Title:
   El Cant de la Sibilla - Savall
Description:
   El Cant de la Sibilla, Mallorca - València (1400-1560)

Montserrat Figueras
La Capella Reial de Catalunya
Jordi Savall (conductor)
Details:
   Sibil-la Mallorquina*
Monasterio de monjas de La Concepció Palma de Mallorca
El Cantoral de La Concepció, fols. 84v-86v : "Al jorn del judici parra qui haurà fet servici"
Sibil-la Valenciana**
Catedral de Valencia
Hores de la Setmana Sancta, 1533 : . "Al jorn del judici, se pagarà notre servici" (Anonyme. Refrains de Alonso et Bartolomé Carceres)
Genre:
   Classical - Vocal
Content:
   Stereo/Multichannel
Media:
   Hybrid
Recording type:
  
Recording info:
  
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Reviews: 1
Review by Jonalogic February 27, 2013 (5 of 9 found this review helpful)
Performance:  Sonics (S):
Alia Vox appear to have perfected the art of minimalist recording in stone-faced church or historic venues. Although this is not one of their most recent releases, the results are wonderfully transparent, natural and vibrant-sounding, with stunning stage depth and ambience.

As always, Savall and his choral and instrumental forces make unforced, idiomatic music, with the divine Montserrat Figuerras - here in her prime - gracing the performances with her beautifully fluid and expressive voice.

The Sibyline chants from medieval Spain, themed around the apocalyptic end of days, make a strong impact on many levels. The repeating Mallorca chant, in particular, is hypnotic in its musical and expressive impact; in fact, it sounds eerily reminiscent of Aavo Part's 'holy minimalism', albeit 600 years early!

From a modern, secular, post-enlightenment perspective, we can see the religious texts as basically obnoxious, irrational and incomprehensible. The xenophobic, god and hell-fearing medieval European mind of the 1400s is indeed a strange and alien place to explore.

But that does not in any way detract from the sonic and musical merits of this stimulating and thought-provoking SACD. Recommended for those seeking something off the beaten track, musically.

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