COMPOSERS: Aguilera de Heredia,Correa de Arauxo,Flecha I
LABELS: Naïve Astrée
WORKS: La justa; El fuego; La bomba
PERFORMER: Studium Musicae Valencia, Hespèrion XX/Jordi Savall
CATALOGUE NO: ES 9961 AAD Reissue (1987)
These 16th-century Spanish ‘salads’, part moralising, part burlesque, dressed with wit, double meaning and musical imagery, invite over-the-top performance. Mankind’s sins kindle a fire requiring fire-engine, warning bells, a jolly sing-song when the conflagration is over and a final motet-like fragment sung to Latin text. When Savall recorded this in 1987, ensaladas were performed more respectfully than today, though he added charming instrumental interludes, capitalising on the myriad colours of Hespèrion XX. But music and words are indissolubly integrated, and alas, if 16th-century Spanish is not your mother tongue, much will be meaningless: unbelievably, neither texts nor translations are provided. George Pratt
Flecha I, Correa de Arauxo, Aguilera de Heredia
These 16th-century Spanish ‘salads’, part moralising, part burlesque, dressed with wit, double meaning and musical imagery, invite over-the-top performance. Mankind’s sins kindle a fire requiring fire-engine, warning bells, a jolly sing-song when the conflagration is over and a final motet-like fragment sung to Latin text. When Savall recorded this in 1987, ensaladas were performed more respectfully than today, though he added charming instrumental interludes, capitalising on the myriad colours of Hespèrion XX.
Our rating
3
Published: January 20, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Share this article
Exclusive U.S. Offer
Try a BBC Music Magazine subscription and get free delivery from the UK!
Subscribe Now!
