This is the second CD release by the new Catalan label Musièpoca,
following a superb debut recording of the music of French Baroque
composer Charles Desmazures by the Catalonia-based period ensemble
Vespres d'Arnadí under Dani Espasa - see review.
The title of this disc comes from local reactions - "Oh my God,
the Church in the hands of the Catalans!" - to the election
in 1455 of Calixtus III, the Catalan - or Aragonese, as it was
known then - Borja (later Italianised as 'Borgia') family's
first pope. The music in La Caravaggia's programme, it must
be said, is only weakly linked to this theme; in fact, it is
drawn from numerous European songbooks spanning a century between
the late 1400s and the early 1500s.
That said, these are actually La Caravaggia's arrangements,
justified by tradition, of vocal originals. At 34 items in 62
minutes, there is no question that these are all very short
pieces. All except one, in fact, last well under three minutes.
Yet what the music lacks in breadth and depth it makes up for
in variety, due not only to the stylistic differences of the
pan-European composers, some famous, some obscure, but also
to the inspired choices and combinations of instruments made
by La Caravaggia. The seven musicians use up to 20 different
instruments to hugely atmospheric effect, paying great attention
to textural and colouristic detail. Alas, the instruments' names
are given only in Catalan, and although many of them will probably
be widely understood by English readers, it is a pity that no
translation has been provided for the more esoteric items.
La Caravaggia have not been around all that long, and indeed
this appears to be their first solo recording. Their musicianship
is splendid in any case, and even if their musical choices just
occasionally edge towards the historically debatable - one or
two of the arrangements are surprisingly folk-jazzy - their
proficiency, enthusiasm and ensemble playing are compelling.
The physical product is once again of outstanding design: from
the colour scheme to the fancy fonts, from the colour photos
to the biographical and technical detail provided, the booklet
is a pleasure not just to read but simply to look at. The case
itself - 'digipak' seems too course a term for it - is made
of card, all of which adds to the marvellous feeling of antiquity
engendered by the music and performances. Rosa Gomis is again
responsible for graphic design and both she and executive producers
and label management Pere Saragossa and Dani Espasa, both also
instrumentalists with Vespres d'Arnadí, deserve a mention
in this review for their excellent production, which also extends
to sound quality.
As on the first Musièpoca disc, however, there are a
couple of minor quibbles. First, the CD booklet goes into a
slot that is not designed to last - it will inevitably tear
at one side. Second, though the translation into English of
the original Spanish notes is, like the detail of the notes
themselves, very good, things unravel a bit in the biographies
- after the car-crash translation in the Desmazures booklet,
Musièpoca need to consider hiring a native proof-reader
for their next disc.
Byzantion
Collected reviews and contact at reviews.gramma.co.uk
Track listing
Heinrich ISAAC (c.1450-1517)
La Morra [1:58]
Mater patris, nacti nacta (attrib.) [2:24]
Mateo FLECHA (?1481-?1553)
Què farem del pobre Joan! [1:50]
Bella, de vós som amorós (attrib.) [2:45]
Gloria...pues nació (attrib.) [1:34]
Bartomeu CÀRCERES (fl. mid 1500s)
Soleta só yo açí [3:30]
Juan CEPA (d.1576)
Soleta i verge estich [0:58]
Nicolas GOMBERT (c.1495-c.1560)
Dezilde al caballero [2:29]
Juan ILLARIO (fl.1400s)
O admirabile comercium [2:23]
Juan PONCE (c.1476-a.1520)
Cómo está sola mi vida [1:57]
Juan DEL ENCINA (1468-c.1529)
Ya soi desposado [2:49]
Pues que tú, reyna del çielo (attrib.) [2:18]
Diego FERNÁNDEZ (d.1551)
De ser mal casada [1:35]
Gabriel MENA (d.1528)
De la dulce mi enemiga [0:50]
A la caça, sus a caça [1:17]
A sombra de mis cabellos [1:46]
Costanzo FESTA (1485/90-1545)
no.20 (of the 157 Contrapunti of the Bologna C36 manuscript))
[1:35]
Pietro ORIOLA (fl.1440-1484)
O vos homines qui transite in pena [1:45]
Pere DE PASTRANA (c.1490-a.1558)
Ay, dime Señora [1:40]
Llenos de lágrimas tristes [2:19]
Pere (de) ESCOBAR (c.1465-a.1535)
Las mis penas, madre [1:12]
Lope DE BAENA (fl.1476-1506)
Amor pues tú nos das plazer [1:54]
Virgen reina gloriosa [2:21]
Josquin DESPREZ (c.1440-1521)
Recordans de my, Segnora [1:24]
Anonymous 15th century (*16th century)
Undecim apostoli secuti sunt Petrum [2:33]
Gentil caballero [1:52]
*Rey a quien reyes [2:28]
No soy yo quien veis vivir [2:11]
*Per la absencia (absencia) [1:33]
Paxarico que vas a la fuente [4:54]
La vida de Culin/Hor amore Guillemin [1:57]
Zappay (lo campo) [1:45]
La Spagna [2:21]
La Caravaggia/Lluís Coll i Trulls 