Viva Espãna!: The Music of Spain

On this CD:

1. El Sombrero de tres picos, Suite No.1, for orchestra, G. 58
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by CSSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Kenneth Jean

2. El Sombrero de tres picos, Suite No.2, for orchestra, G. 59
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by CSSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Kenneth Jean

3. El Amor brujo, concert version for small orchestra, G. 48 Ritual Fire Dance)
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by CSSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Kenneth Jean

4. La Vida breve, excerpts (see also "Danza Espanola") Interlude and Dance
Composed by Manuel de Falla
Performed by CSSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Kenneth Jean

5. Iberia Suite (orchestrated by Arbos from "Iberia" for piano)
Composed by Isaac Albeniz
Performed by CSSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava)
Conducted by Kenneth Jean

Viva Espãna!: The Music of Spain, Music, Isaac Albeniz, Manuel de Falla, Kenneth Jean, CSSR Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava), 20th/21st Century Orchestral Work with Descriptive Title, Classical, Classical Collections-Artist Desc., Classical Music, Miscellaneous, Opera, Orchestral, Orchestral Music, Spanish/Portuguese 20th/21st Century Opera, Suite for Orchestra

Average customer rating:

It's a gem!

Review: Isabel I: Reina de Castilla

Not always historically accurate, but fabulous performances

Isabel I: Reina de Castilla
Hesperion XXI , 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 , Jordi Savall , Carlos Mena , Andrew Lawrence-King , Begona Olavide , Luca Guglielmi , Pedro Estevan , Arianna Savall , Montserrat Figueras , and Miguel Bernal
Manufacturer: Alia Vox Spain
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Carlos V

Music for the Spanish Kings

Villancicos y Danzas Criollas

Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quijote de la Mancha: Romances y Músicas [Hybrid SACD]

La Folia, 1490-1701

ASIN: B0006SSNO6
Release Date: 2004-12-14

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.

Music for Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain

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Music for Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain

Manufacturer: Testament UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Early Music Festival / David Munrow, Early Music Consort

ASIN: B00016ZKS0
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Isabel I, Reina de Castilla [Hybrid SACD]

Average customer rating:

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
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Vivaldi: La Viola da Gamba in Concerto

ASIN: B0002XNM96
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Average customer rating:

Viva Espana
Los Borriquitos
Manufacturer: Sound
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00003IR78
Release Date: 1999-11-11

Tracks:

Amor de Mis Amores
No Me Hables
Guantanamera
El Porompompero
Porque Te Vas
Bamboleo
Vamos a la Playa
Maria Isabel
El Borriquito
Bella Espana
Cucaracha
Rayo del Sol
Bamba
Amor
Mulher Rendeira
Paloma Blanca
Cielito Lindo
Y Viva Espana
Espana Cani

Album Details

Part of Sound of the World Series.

Average customer rating:

An excellent composition of rhythmic Latin music.

Viva Espana: Nuevo Flamenco, Vol. 1
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Miramar
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

Flamenco | Latin Music | Styles | Music

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General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000003IP1
Release Date: 1995-10-10

Tracks:

Me Va - Rumbalea
Jaleo Pa Las Flamencas - Jaleo
Sangre A Ti - Manolo
Rumba Catalan - Voyage
Monasterio De La Chunga - Jaleo
O Mi Senor - Ricao
Mosquito - Rumbalea
Robes Mi Carino - Manolo
Il Vito - Jaleo
Tristessa - Lailo
Tio Moro - Hippolyte Baliardo
Rum-Ba-Ba-Ba - Jaleo
Malacutum - Ricao
Willy El Rociero - Jaleo
Buleria Flamenca - Ricao

Customer Reviews:

An excellent composition of rhythmic Latin music........1999-02-19

Even if you don't speak Spanish the music speaks for itself. The sounds and rhythms are upbeat and the voices fit comfortably together for an uplifting musical experience. I highly recommend this CD for anyone who enjoys expanding the scope of their listening experience.

Average customer rating:

20th Century Spanish Art Music with Difficult Sound

Viva Espãna!: The Music of Spain

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | 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
ASIN: B0000013LL
Release Date: 1992-08-04

Tracks:

Three Cornered Hat (Ste No.1): Intro-Afternoon
Three Cornered Hat (Ste No.1): Dance of the Miller's Wife (Fandango)
Three Cornered Hat (Ste No.1): The Corregidor-The Miller's Wife
Three Cornered Hat (Ste No.1): The Grapes
Three Cornered Hat (Ste No.2): The Neighbour's Dance
Three Cornered Hat (Ste No.2): The Miller's Dance
Three Cornered Hat (Ste No.2): Final Dance
El Amor Brujo (Ritual Fire Dance)
La Vida Breve (Interlude and Dance)
Iberia: Evocation
Iberia: El Corpus en Sevilla
Iberia: Triana
Iberia: El Albaicin

Customer Reviews:

20th Century Spanish Art Music with Difficult Sound.......2004-12-12

Two cautions here right from the start. One is that this is not “typically Spanish” music of the kind that one normally associates with Spain, despite the title “Viva Espana”. It is twentieth century Spanish art music. Of course, both de Falla and Albéniz were Spaniards and made use of some well-known Spanish themes and dances in their music. But neither of them was interested in reproducing Spanish folk music. De Falla was associated with men like Ravel and Stravinsky, and if you listen to his music you should expect to have to concentrate and not just be entertained by Moorish-sounding dances. In fact, most of the music on this disc sounds like the kind of stuff you would expect to hear at a World Championship Ice-Skating tournament, but not at a Spanish folk dance. If you are looking for the old-world Spanish type of music you should be looking up names like Jordi Savall and his ensemble Hespèrion XX (renamed Hespèrion XXI from 2000 onwards) or El Ayre Espanol.

My other caution is with regard to the sound. Some of the early Naxos discs are very sensitive to the equipment they are played on, and this one definitely belongs to that category. On most of the stereo equipment I have heard it on, this CD sounded singularly pale and unexciting. It was only by chance that I discovered it sounded a lot better on a combination I use occasionally (Sony CDP-XA20ES, NAD Amp C 300, connected by Monitor Rhodos cinch cable, and Philips SBC-HP1000 headphones). This equipment gave the whole disc a much more convincing stereo panorama, but even here the crescendos in Albéniz’s “El Corpus [Christi] en Sevilla” with their bells and tambourines sounded pretty “thick” and undifferentiated. That may be the result of the inferior acoustics at the recording location in Bratislava, Slovakia; or it may be that Naxos was just being rather thrifty at its recording sessions. But whatever the reason, you should know that this disc needs the right equipment to sound anything like what producer Martin Sauer wanted you to hear.

Oh, one other curiosity. The lexicon of orchestral music that I use says that Albéniz’s “Iberia” suite consists of only four movements of which the third is “El Puerto”. This Naxos edition claims, however, that conductor Arbos orchestrated eight movements, and the third one played here is entitled “Triana”. Spanish music buffs may be able to sort that one out.

Having said all that, this is music that is worth knowing; some of it has been re-recorded by Naxos with newer and, presumably, better technology.