El Mena

Track Listings

1. Livin' la Vida Loca [Salsa Version]

2. Y Volvere

3. Lo Que Queria Maria

4. Swing de Senora

5. Sala a la Discoteca

6. Tiempo No Para

7. Cafe del Puro

8. Corazon Por Dentro

9. Comprehension

10. Como Jugando Asi

11. Ahora No Vuelvas

12. Por Nuestra Amistad

13. Canto a Elegua

El Mena,Mariano Enriques,Saludos Amigos,Latin Music,Latin Pop,Pop

Latin

Music

Jazz

Music

El Mena

Tracks:

Exultat Caelum Laudibus (Vesper's Hymn) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Marcha Turca - Various Artists
Toccata (CMC 68) - Various Artists
Dinos, Madre Del Donsel (Villancico) (CMC 90) - Various Artists
Je Ne Vis Oncques (CMM 46) - Andrew Lawrence-King
La Spagna: Danza Alta (Instrumental) (CMP 321) - Hesperion XXI
Muy Crueles Bozes Dan (Villancico) (CMC 6) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Pavana (Pues Que Jamas Olvidaros) (CMP 30) - Various Artists
Patres Nostri Peccaverunt (Hymn) (CMM 2) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Viva El Gran Re Don Fernando (Instrumental) - Various Artists
El Que Rige Y El Regido (Villancico) (CMP 275) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Paseabase El Rey Moro (Romance) - Various Artists
Levanta Pascual (Villancico) (CMP 184) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Lavava Y Suspirava (Romance) - Montserrat Figueras
Mappamundi - Various Artists
Franceses, Por Que Rrazon? (Villancico) (CMP 424) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Sanctus (CMC 47) - Various Artists
Triste Espana Sin Ventura (Romance) (CMP 83) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya
Cancion En Ritmo Quddan De La Nuba Gribt Al Hussein De Marruecos - B. Olavide
Requiem Aeternam (Gradual) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya

Customer Reviews:

It's a gem!.......2006-11-21

Interesting mix of styles at work here. Paseabase El Rey Moro is particularly pleasing. Montserrat lends true feeling to this piece as she sings the part of the Moorish king. Her recitation of the old man's 'Dutch uncling' is unexpected and equally passionate. All this is punctuated by a musical style that never loses its Moorish influence but changes, oh so subtly, into a more 'European' mode. In direct contrast, Begona's performance of Canció en ritmo Quddan de la Nuba Gribt: Al Hussein de Marruecos is equally compelling. The voices are married perfectly to the styles of the music. In short, if you like Iberian music of this period (circa 1492), get the album. You will not be disappointed.

Review: Isabel I: Reina de Castilla.......2005-07-27

This is a meticulously designed and recorded compilation that provides a delightful introduction to music of the late 15th and early 16th centuries . The CD includes both instrumental and vocal compositions that are performed with considerable expertise and verve. The package contains an illustrated booklet that includes an essay on the history of the period and full lyrics but, alas, is rather weak on details regarding the music other than to place it in historical context.

Not always historically accurate, but fabulous performances.......2005-05-23

This recording presents a selection of music from the time of Isabella of Castile (1451-1504), organised to present a hypothetical illustration in sound of the main events of her reign. Connoisseurs will be familiar with a number of these pieces, many from previous Savall recordings (Palacio, Encina, Colombina discs). Alongside the Spanish works (villancicos, romances, sacred music) are examples of Turkish and Sephardic music, and also a Dufay chanson.

As on many other recordings by this ensemble, historical accuracy is secondary to an overall aesthetic result, and it is perhaps not difficult to understand why Savall's approach has ruffled certain musicologists. Where most of the works recorded here would have probably been performed by a small group of musicians (often a cappella), in these performances there is a wide range of instruments used in addition to the voices (including shawm, cornett and sackbuts). Four tracks have 'composed' introductions [tracks 1, 4, 10, 13], whilst Narvaez's romance [track 12] is transformed from a standard example of the genre into a hybridised Hispanic-Moorish lament.

On the other hand, it is equally apparent why this group have been greeted with such unanimous international acclaim. There is, after all, a significant difference between a sound recording and a musicological article - something which is not always as obvious as it should be in some of the more "correct" renditions of this repertory. Furthermore, there are a number of tracks which are definitely plausible [tracks 5, 8, 17, 20], as well as some which frankly do not stretch extant evidence - direct and indirect - too much [tracks 4, 15, 18; a thorough and satisfactory investigation of the political villancicos and romances - tracks 7, 10, 13, 16, 18 - has yet to be undertaken...why and in what contexts would such works be performed only by small forces, given their obvious exaggerated political overtones? Would Ferdinand and Isabella really have heard, for example, Encina's lament to their dead son [18] performed by no more than four singers in the elite isolation of their private chambers...?]

But what undoubtedly sets this recording apart from so many others of this repertory is the phenomenally high standard of these performances - unsurprisingly given the personnel line-up [Begona Olavide, Montserrat Figueras, Carlos Mena, Jean-Pierre Canihac, Markus Tapio, Andrew Lawrence-King...etc]. Given that so many tracks could be singled out to support this observation - not to mention the musicians themselves - it perhaps only remains to be said that this is without doubt one of the most incredible recordings of Cancionero songs available.

El Canto de la Sibilla I & II; El Cancionero; Cantigas (Box Set)

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El Canto de la Sibilla I & II; El Cancionero; Cantigas (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Naive
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00007J4XK
Release Date: 2003-11-18

Isabel I, Reina de Castilla [Hybrid SACD]

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Isabel I, Reina de Castilla [Hybrid SACD]
Jordi Savall , Daniele Carnovich , Canciero de Montecassino Anonymous , El Cancionero de Colombina Anonymous , Johannes Cornago , Guillaume Dufay , Juan del Encina , Pedro de Escobar , Luys de Narvaez , Pedro de Tordesillas , Francisco de la Torre , Arabic-Andalusian Traditional , Sephardic Traditional , Turkish Traditional , Carlos Verardi , Carlos Mena , Hesperion XXI , La Capella Reial de Catalunya , Luca Guglielmi , Pedro Estevan , Arianna Savall , Montserrat Figueras , and Miguel Bernal
Manufacturer: Alia Vox Spain
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Rondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0002XNM96
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Average customer rating:

Valderrábano: Silva de Sirenes

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000BM3MIE
Release Date: 2005-12-13

Average customer rating:

Euskera no Castellano
A DELIGHT

Jesús Guridi: Ten Basque Melodies

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Opera & Vocal | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Jésus Guridi: Sinfónica pirenaica
Jesús Guridi: El Caserío (The Homestead)
Yasushi Akutagawa: Ellora Symphony; Trinita Sinfonica Rapsodia per Orchestra
Ince: Symphony No. 3 'Siege of Vienna'; Symphony No. 4 'Sardis'
Camargo Guarnieri: Piano Concertos Nos. 1, 2 and 3

ASIN: B00008ZZ2W
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

Narrativa
Amorosa
Religiosa
Epitalamica
De Ronda
Amorosa
De Ronda
Danza
Elegiaca
Festiva
Molto Moderato - Andante Con Moto - Allegro Giusto - Chorus Of The Conservatory Of The Bilbao Choral Society
Poema Sinfonico
En Un Barco Fenicio (In A Phoenician Vessel)
Andante Ma Non Troppo Lento - Isabel Alvarez

Customer Reviews:

Euskera no Castellano.......2004-06-17

The previous reviewer wrote a commendable review of the music contained on this disc. However, try not to write "Spanish melodies" into the context of the review. The music is purely in the vein of the Basque tongue and not "Castellano" or the major Spanish dialect of Spain, both of which are linguistically and historically unrelated.

A DELIGHT.......2003-10-17

I've had this CD on my 'to be reviewed' pile for several months but I kepy pulling it out and listening to it simply for pleasure, with no thought of reviewing it. I even put it on one of my Listmania lists without having reviewed it. But the time has come to buckle down and write of my delight in this disc.

I had never heard of Jesús Guridi (1886-1961) before this CD came my way. He was a Basque from Bilbao. His only even slightly known teacher was the Belgian, Joseph Jongen. This disc features pieces of different genres: a suite of Basque melodies, a cantata for children's voices, two orchestral tone poems, and an orchestral song for soprano.

'Diez melodías vascas' ('Ten Basque Melodies') is a 22-minute orchestral suite of Basque folk-melodies dressed in orchestrations reminiscent of those of, say, Falla, Albéniz or Granados; that is, in Spanish-inflected French impressionism. Each has its own style--amorosa, religiosa, epitalámica (a wedding song), elegiaca, etc. I particularly like No. 7, 'De ronda,' a courtly neo-baroque dance.

'Así cantan los chicos' ('Thus sing the boys') is an utterly charming 13-minute, three-section work in which children's chorus sings lightheartedly at play, then mourns the death of one of their playmates whose little coffin passes by, and then an innocent return to unrestrained play again. I defy anyone listening to this charmer without being caught up in both the joy and the momentary sadness. I have played it literally a dozen times and even tried to learn the Spanish words so I can sing along: 'Con llantos nadie quiera turbar nuestro placer, que no haya caras tristes, no las queremos ver' ('No one wants to spoil our fun with tears, no sad faces, we don't want to see them').

'Una aventura de Don Quijote' ('An Adventure of Don Quixote') and 'En un barco fenicio' ('In a Phoenician Barque') are two of several programmatic tone poems Guridi wrote. Both come from Spanish sources: 'Quixote', of course, comes from Cervantes' picaresque novel, and 'Phoenician Barque' tells the story of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope, which echoes a similar tale in Basque folklore. Each is brilliantly orchestrated, with solemn ancient-sounding modal moments as well as energetic (and in the case of 'Quixote,' comic) incidents.

Finally, there is the three-minute 'Canta el gallo tempranero' ('The early-crowing rooster'), a drowsy 'albado' ('dawn-song') sung limpidly by soprano Isabel Álvarez. Think of the style of Canteloube's 'Songs of the Auvergne' and you'll have an idea of its sound-world.

All the idiomatic performances are by the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Juan José Mena, the orchestra's music director and himself a fellow Basque.

I will admit that I am a pushover for Spanish folk music and the art-music inspired by it. Perhaps my level of delight is affected by that. But if, like me, you revel in the charm of Spanish melodic and rhythmic contours, you'll like this CD. You have my word!

TT=65:25

Tracks:

Calabaca
Ay Santa Maria
Virgen Bendita Sin Par
Con Amores Mi Madre
Pues Bien Para Esta
Passamezzo
Pavana D'Alexandre, Gallarda
Tres Morillas; Tres Moricas
Aquella Mora Garrida
Dentro En El Vergel
De La Momera
Amor Con Fortuna
Como Esta
O Voy
La Gamba
Recercada Quarta
A La Caca
Guardame Las Vacas
Nina Y Vina
Alta
Reccercada Tercera
Si Me Llaman
Isabel
Fantasia Que Contrahaze La Harpa En La Manera De Luduvico - Alonso De Mudarra
A La Mia
Dios Te Salve
Ya Somos Del Todo Libre
Ya Cantan Los Gallos
Dindirin Dindirin
Cucu

Customer Reviews:

I adore this cd!.......2004-07-29

A wonderful Renaissance cd, I love the fine musicianship of all the instrumentalists and I particularly admire Geraldine McGreevy's bold and audacious interpretation of these songs. One of my favorites is #24, a lyrical instrumental piece, beautifully done. I highly recommend this cd!

A great cd at a very low price.......2003-05-13

If you enjoy spanish renaissance music, this cd is a must have. The songs vary widely from one to another: sacred and secular - vocal and instumental. The instuments used are pimarily: lute, guitar, drum, and recorder. I do not recall hearing any of the reed instuments of that era, crumcorns, etc. Buy it and enjoy.

Average customer rating:

El Cançoner Del Duc De Calabria

Manufacturer: Astree
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000017O2
Release Date: 1996-09-17

Tracks:

Ah, Pelayo Que Desmayo - Lambert Climent/Francesc Garrigosa
Ay Luna Que Reluzes - Montserrat Figueras/Maite Arruabarrena/Carlos Mena
Dizen A Mi Que Los Amores He - Carlos Mena/Lambert Climent/Francesc Garrigosa/Jordi Ricart/Daniele Carnovich
Gozate Virgen - Montserrat Figueras/Elisabetta Tiso/Maite Arruabarrena/Carlos Mena
Si De Vos Mi Bien (Instrumental) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya/Jordi Savall
Si N'Os Huviera Mirado - Lambert Climent/Francesc Garrigosa/Daniele Carnovich
Soleta So Jo Aci - Montserrat Figueras
Que Farem Del Pobre Joan - Carlos Mena/Lambert Climent/Francesc Garrigosa/Daniele Carnovich
Un Nino Nos Es Nacido (Instrumental) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya/Jordi Savall
Con Que La Lavare - Montserrat Figueras/Maite Arruabarrena/Carlos Mena
Ojos Garcos Ha La Nina - Carlos Mena/Lambert Climent/Francesc Garrigosa/Daniele Carnovich
Si La Noche Haze Escura - Montserrat Figueras/Maite Arruabarrena/Carlos Mena
Teresica Hermana - Carlos Mena/Lambert Climent/Francesc Garrigosa/Daniele Carnovich
Estas Noches A Tan Largas (Instrumental) - La Capella Reial De Catalunya/Jordi Savall
Vella De Vos Som Amoros - Lambert Climent/Francesc Garrigosa/Jordi Ricart
Yo Me Soy La Morenica - Montserrat Figueras
Falai Meus Olhos - Montserrat Figueras/Maite Arruabarrena/Carlos Mena/Lambert Climent/Daniele Carnovich

The Voice in the Garden: Spanish Songs and Motets 1480-1550

Average customer rating:

Extreme academia + GV not at their most polished
Beautiful Spanish Music

The Voice in the Garden: Spanish Songs and Motets 1480-1550

Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Pierre de la Rue: Missa de Feria / Missa Sancta di genitrix
Masters of the Rolls
Gautier de Coincy: Miracles of Notre Dame

ASIN: B000002ZSS
Release Date: 1993-10-05

Tracks:

Mi libertad en sosiego
A la villa voy
Passe el agoa
Harto de tanta porfia
Fantasia (Tercer tono)
Por las sierras de Madrid
Ne reminiscaris, Domine
Dindirin, dindirin
Fantasia (Segundo tono)
Ave, Virgo, gratia plena
Yo creo que n'os dios
Fantasia 10
Precor te, Domine
Tiento
Los sospiros no sosiegan
Pasese el rey moro
Mi querer tanto vos quiere
Fantasia 18
Dentro en el vergel
Entra Mayo y sale Abril
Fantasia 12
La bella Malmaridada
Sancta Maria

Customer Reviews:

Extreme academia + GV not at their most polished.......2005-05-11

There are always, with any recording of early music, 2 elements: a musicological one (do the resulting performances bear any relation to what was originally heard?) and an aesthetic one (does it sound good?). Regarding the former, this recording by Gothic Voices provides no exception from their previous releases of pre-1500 music, unsurprisingly given Page's renown as a musicologist. Indeed, there can be little doubt that Cancionero repertory was often performed by voices alone (interested readers should consult the article by Tess Knighton, "The a cappella heresy in Spain...", Early Music XX (1992), 560-81). Yet Page is extreme in dismissing 'ensembles of mixed voices and instruments' and the use of viols as 'an anachronism (unfortunately)...'[liner notes, p.3] At least one extant contemporary account confirms that the romance - a polyphonic genre - was performed by minstrels and singers 'con sus laudas, y vihuelas, y otros ynstrumentos' (Knighton, 577-8). In addition, Oviedo's account of Don Juan (the heir to the throne) proves that people who sang Cancionero repertory (and therefore read notation) also played instruments - amongst them 'vihuelas de arco' [ie viols]. And it would have been interesting if Page had perhaps exploited the numerous descriptions of multiple voices [trebles] on the top part rather than his favoured one soprano or one alto, especially given his emphasis on scholarship...

Turning to the aesthetic element, only personal taste can dictate whether this is a successful recording or not; yet for my money, this CD is quite inferior to GV's best recordings, such as 'The Service of Venus and Mars' (Hyperion CDA66238) or 'The Castle of Fair Welcome' (Hyperion CDA66194). Over-emphasis on pseudo-Hispanic accents creates a sound-world that is a) not particularly aesthetic (contributing to moments of patchy intonation), and b) somewhat pastiche (compare these performances with those [also a cappella] of La Colombina ['Canciones, romances, sonetos', Accent ACC95111]). The devotional villancicos and motets are better done [tracks 10 + 13 etc], although it is in fact the instrumentalists - Chris Wilson (vihuela) and Andrew Lawrence-King (harp) - who are the true stars of this recording, providing solos that are both sensitive and suave, and even virtuosic.

In short, it is difficult to know for whom this recording could be recommended: for those new to this group, there are numerous outstanding GV recordings which should be explored above this one (alongside the 2 above-named, try also the Missa Caput and Missa Veterem hominem recordings [CDA66857 + CDA66919]). Those looking for a cappella recordings of Cancionero repertory are encouraged to consider either La Colombina (named above), the Orlando Consort ('The Toledo Summit', HMU 907328) or Ensemble Gilles Binchois ('Sola m'ire', Virgin Veritas 7243 5 45359 2 5). For those simply wanting a recording of Cancionero repertory, the list is literally endless - from the fantastic (if anachronistic) performances of Jordi Savall (on Auvidis Astree and Alia Vox) to smaller ensembles (eg Circa 1500 [on CRD] + New London Consort [Linn]), or even interpretations which are arabic-inspired (Mudejar [MA recordings]) or flamenco in style (Mercedes Hernandes and the United Continuo Ensemble [Raum Klang]). It just depends on what you're after...

Beautiful Spanish Music.......2001-06-18

This is the first cd by Gothic Voices I ever bought and it remains my favorite. They are my favorite early music vocal ensemble because they let the music speak for itself. The pieces on this recording are beautiful examples of the different styles found in Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries. There are polyphonic motets and homophonic love songs as well as some pieces for solo vihuela (related to the guitar) and solo harp. The rhythms are often lively and the harmonies full and sweet. The singing is wonderful- very focused and pure, in a vibrato-free early style, but each voice still has character and expression.

One of the things that distinguishes Gothic Voices is the organization of some of their their recordings by themes, not just by time period or composer. The theme of this one is stated in the wonderful notes that are included: "This recording is an exploration... of men and women in their fallen state, expelled from Eden with a sword." In many of the pieces there is a sense of longing for something lost- the loss of innocence or of a lost love, or the longing for paradise.