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This triple CD release is the result of the cultural cooperation between France and Bolivia, funded under the title ‘Roads of the Baroque’. It represents an interesting and unusual box, featuring music of the Spanish baroque era influenced by Italian and Flamand music. There is also music by the Bolivia-based Jesuit missionary, Martin Schmid.

The influence of Spanish music on the music of the countries of ‘New Spain’ in Latin America is quite evident. The main strand of influence is down to the spread of baroque instruments in these countries often based on models from Castille. In Bolivia as well as in Argentina there is early evidence of the use of organs for religious reasons, a thing that enabled their technical development. The Chiquitos Indians, constructed musical instruments under the guidance of the Swiss missionary Martin Schmid, who arrived in New Spain in 1729. Between them around 16 organs were found at the area of L’Audience de Charcas.

The historic organ of Frère Pedro de Matos, was built in 1791-92 and restored by Pascal Quoirin in 1997, at the monastery of Santa Clara in Sucre, Bolivia. It is amongst the best preserved instruments over a period of two centuries. The temperament is based on Rameau at 413Hz, a real pleasant challenge nowadays! It is 8 feet high with 10 stops, principals and reeds. The bass line is rich and the dissonances sound quite enjoyable.

The first two volumes present works by Spanish composers as well as native Latin Americans. Juan Bermudo can be placed with the most well known Latin composers of the period, his contemporaries, Cabezon and Santa Maria. His works carry a feeling of ‘a universe at the Dark Ages’. Many of them are accompanied either vocally or instrumentally often in an improvisatory style. Their form is based on paradigms from Andalucia and Castille and further shaped by religious texts.

The third volume presents works from the three Livres de San Rafael de Chiquitos attributed to M. Schmid. After spending some forty years as a missionary, architect and sculptor in Bolivia, Schmid composed around one hundred works, solo or ensemble. In this way he activated the music scene of the Indians Chiquitos. He refers to his composition for the 7^th tono as the ‘sound of organ in 1743’. Schmid also had access to Domenico Zippoli’s archive. Zippoli served as a missionary in Paraguay. The Italian influences on his works are plain to hear.

The CD notes are well presented, giving sufficient information about the history of the area as well as the music and the composers.

Chapelet’s playing is expertly efficient and musical with an excellent sense of rhythm. His articulation and phrasing work very well all the way through and produce clear and distinguished vocal lines. In general Chapelet succeeds in projecting this not very well-known music with appropriate mastery and sensitivity.

The playing of Garcia Banegas is also musical with a good sense of direction. She performs the pieces with appropriate spicy rhythmic energy. She succeeds in nicely blending the organ’s sound with that of the percussion accompaniment.

Broggini’s performances are quite pleasing to the ear. His articulation is the most appropriate for this kind of music. His evident rhythmic sense is more than successful.

In general this is a very fine collection of a little known music presented with great sensitivity and rhythmic ‘Latino’ energy.

Christina Antoniadou

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