La Mexicana

1. No Me Conoces Aún - Grupo Palomo, Flor Yvon

2. Iiegal

3. Te Voy a Callar a Besos

4. Corazón de Hotel

5. No Es Tan Sencilio

6. Del Paraíso Al Infierno

7. Te Metiste en Mi Cama

8. Cuerpo a Cuerpo

9. Mexicana

10. No Me Conoces Aún [Vers. Inglés]

11. Para Qué Me Engaño

12. Ni en Pintura

13. En la Misma Cama

14. Busco a un Hombre

La Mexicana,Flor Yvon,Disa (Uni),Latin,Mexican,Regional Mexican

Music

jazz

music

Tracks:

Andante
Andantino
Lento
Romance De Los Pinos
Madronos
Serenata Burlesca
Variations On A Theme From Mozart's 'The Magic Flute'
Mesto E Calmo
Theme, Variations & Finale
Cancion Mexicana No.X
Sevillana, Op.29
Sarabanda
Capriccio Diabolico, Op.85
Tonadilla For Guitar On The Name Of Andres Segovia
No.1 In E Minor
No.3 In A Minor
Guitarreo
Segovia, Op.29

Tracks:

If My Complaints
Now, O Now I Need Must Part
Sarabande
1. Prelude (Transposed In D Major)
4. Tempo Di Bourree
Courante
3. Gavotte En Rondeau
Aria E Corrente
Moderato
Menuet In G Major
Andantino Variato
No.7 In A Major
2. Canzonetta
2. Quasi Lento (Preludio)
1. Andantino Poco Allegretto (Allegretto)
2. Il Vecchio Castello
Allegretto
Tres Calme Et Doucement Expressif
No.4 In E Flat Minor
5. Asturias. Leyenda - Preludio
7. Zambra Granadina
Estudio Sin Luz
Allegro Con Brio

Amazon.com

DG has put together a fascinating compilation of Segovia's art that reminds us what a protean figure he was. Segovia single-handedly put the instrument on the map by making classical guitar concerts popular events, broadening the instrument's repertory through commissions and transcriptions, and convincing even doubters that it could be a vehicle for serious music. He's heard here in brief pieces recorded between 1952 and 1969. Even in those made when he was well into his 70s, his fingers remain nimble and interpretations lively. Listening straight through, one hears many all-time Segovia favorites as Turina's Sevillana and Albeniz's Asturias and Zambra Granadina and renews appreciation for path-breaking composers like Castelnuovo-Tedesco. He wrote extensively for Segovia and his Capriccio diabolico and Tonadilla are pieces of real substance. Disc two is largely made up transcriptions and it's amazing how well so many of them work on the guitar, at least under Segovia's magic fingers. Thus the transformations of Bach's violin music and even a Chopin Prelude sound idiomatic, and the gorgeous melodies of the Canzonetta from Mendelssohn's Op. 12 String Quartet are irresistible here. An entrancing set. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A Man and His Art - Magnificently Captured.......2007-04-06

This 2-CD set produced by Deutche Grammmophon and first released in 2002 is one set of the hundreds that could have been or the dozens that actually have been made and sold successfully all over the world. The exceptional feature of this particular collection is not, of course, the performer. Quite to the contrary, the miraculous consistency of stylings and performance are amongst the most remarkable aspects of the man who was, arguably, the 20th Centry's virtuoso supreme of the classical guitar, Andres Segovia (1893-1987.) Rather, it is the collection itself - the pieces chosen to be produced on this one set - this, to steal a German word, gestalt. While his style did not remain constant throughout his long life and career, by the time he had developed his most masterful skills that included doing his own arrangements - the era represented on this particular set (1951-1960) - his playing had become completely his own - unchallenged and unmatched by even other clearly great guitarists with whom he shared this era.

There are a total of 31 pieces played on these CDs and while a playlist would be an unnecessary use of space here, a list of the composers represented is not. More than the specific pieces Segovia gives us here, the range of composers chosen by the compilers and editors - with each piece rearranged by Segovia himself, tells us a great deal about his interests, talents and musical range. These composers include:
Isaac Albeniz, Johann Sebastian Bach, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Frederic Chopin, Claude Debussy, John Dowland, Manuel de Falla, Cesar Franke, Girolamo Frescobaldi, Edvard Grieg, George Frederic Handel, Felix Mendelsohn, Frederico Moreno Torroba, Modest Mussorgsky, Nicolo Paganini, Felipe Pedrell, Manuel Ponce, Jean-Philippe Rameau, Joaquin Rodrigo, Albert Roussel, Domenico Scarlatti, Alexander Scriabin, Segovia's own composition of Estudio sin luz, Fernando Sor, Francisco Tarrega, Joaquin Turina and Heitor Villa-Lobos. A truly magnificent and broad ranging collection held together by Segovia's unique personal style, approach and sound.

Largely self-taught, Andres Segovia did things with a guitar that others only imagined. He didn't just play Bach, for example - music written for an entirely different type of instrument (keyboards.) He went a step further, and recorder Bach's keyboard lessons written for his students (the Two and Three Part Inventions) and made them sound as if they had been written for the guitar! His artistry is evident to even the casual listener and in this collection, any devote of classical guitar and/or of Segovia as an individual artist, will not be disappointed.
Perfect listening for anytime. Hypnotic and, simply, unsurpassed. A necessary addition to any serious classical guitar collection.

What can you say - it's Segovia!.......2007-02-10

I saw Segovia perform live in my youth. What a treat! Anyone who loves Classical Guitar should love this collection.

EVERYBODY KNOWS.......2007-01-13

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT ANDRES SEGOVIA WAS/IS THE WORLD'S GREATEST CLASSICAL GUITAR PLAYER. THIS CD IS A COMPILATION OF HIS RECORDINGS FROM THE THE EARLY 50'S TO THE LATE 60'S. HIS GUITAR MASTERY IS UNQUESTIONED AND HE IS AN INSPIRATION. I WISH I COULD PLAY GUITAR LIKE ANDRES SEGOVIA (BUT I CAN'T AND I NEVER WILL!).

Immortal guitar.......2006-08-02

Two CD's with Segovia's immortal music - an incredible treat at a great price!

WOW.......2006-02-23

Even though there is hiss from the original analog recordings this one is a must. Segovia! What more can you say. Anyone who likes classical guitar will love this.

Average customer rating:

reviving an old memory
So BAD she's GOOD
my ears and belly hurt
A must for all music lovers
Florence's voice caused my dog to shake in fear.

The Glory (????) of the Human Voice
Florence Foster Jenkins
Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000003F97
Release Date: 1992-04-14

Tracks:

Die zauberflote: der holle rache
die musikdose
Like A Bird
lakme: ou va la jeune hindoue?
Serenata Mexicano
la perle du bresil: charmant oiseau
pavlovich biassy
die fledermaus - la chauve-souris: Adele's Laughing Son - Air d'adele - 'mein herr marquis'
Valentine's Aria (Ere I leave my native land)
Jewel Song (O Heavenly Jewels)
salut, demeure chaste et pure (Emotions Strange)
Final Trio (My Heart Is Overcome With Terror)

Customer Reviews:

reviving an old memory.......2007-06-08

This is a recording of an old vinyl which was in my collection. It was good to see that it was available, on CD, just as I remembered it sounding
Thanks.

So BAD she's GOOD .......2007-04-21

This is the most remarkable singing in all of recorded history. So BAD she's GOOD, Florence Foster Jenkins bankrolled herself into mini-stardom selling out her invitation-only once-a-year recitals until she became so legendary, she sold out Carnegie Hall to an audience snickering into their handkerchiefs. These recordings showcase that as BAD as Jenkins is, she gets WORSE . . . brilliantly so! With sensitive and serious accompaniment, Jenkins' voice is like a cross between a clucking chicken and a squeak toy played by Rusty Hinge. Each tune reveals a new vocal weakness (at best) or a deeper absurdity (at very best); these selections are a Punk miracle of self-delusion. I am grateful to all the brave reviewers who gave 5 stars 'cause they're right in its essential laughter factor; if you have a funny bone you cannot NOT laugh while listening to this lady sing!

my ears and belly hurt.......2007-04-11

My ears hurt from this absolutely abominable performance, and my belly from laughing.

A must for all music lovers.......2007-01-05

I first heard this album (LP) about 20 years ago on the radio. I recently recalled it and did a search on Amazon and to my amazement it and other titles were available. I purchased this disc for my wife's Christmas present 2006. We both cannot stop laughing every time we listen to it. I highly recommend this disc to anyone who loves the classics and has a hidden desire/dream that one day they too will be discovered and perform in large concert halls to utter amazement of the audience. Buy it, you won't regret it.

Florence's voice caused my dog to shake in fear........2007-01-02

This woman's voice was so bad that my dog started to shake in fear...then he ran and hid in my parent's room. I gave my friend the cd as a Christmas present and she said it ruined her Christmas. I, on the other hand, have never laughed so hard at someone's lack of musical ability! I've never heard anyone sound so horrible! Now, I don't want to give her all the credit..because when I heard Thomas Burns sing I FELL TO THE GROUND AND LAUGHED UNTIL I CRIED! I guess that's why I am giving it 5 stars. Anything that can make me laugh until I cry is worth its weight in gold!!!

Average customer rating:

Above All Others
The Great Master, of Masters
THIS GORGEOUS GUITAR MUSIC BEGS FOR LISTENING. . .
beautiful selection of the decca segovia
There's Only One Segovia

The Segovia Collection

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Art of Segovia
Ultimate Guitar Collection
Andres Segovia: In Portrait
300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
Julian Bream: The Ultimate Guitar Collection-Volume 2

ASIN: B000060O5J
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Amazon.com

The vastly improved sonics which the Deutsche Grammophon production team achieves with its 24/96 remastering of the guitarist's 1952-1969 mono and stereo performances for Decca allow listeners to finally experience the rich tonal palette and intimate nature of Segovia's performance art in a manner commensurate with the fidelity of the original LP releases (minus the edgy digital glare and graininess of the MCA reissues). What emerges is a portrait of the artist as a lightning rod for great composers, such as Manuel Ponce, Federico Torroba, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Isaac Albéniz, and Enrique Granados, all of whom enriched the 20th-century repertoire of solo and chamber works by custom-crafting works for this innovative guitarist (Segovia's interpretation of Joaquín Rodrigo's "Fandango" is a paradigm for his role in popularizing the modern Spanish idiom). Likewise, Segovias's work as an arranger in recasting baroque and medieval works for modern guitar, as well as his deep affection for 19th-century masters of the instrument such as Dionisio Aguado and Fernando Sor, shines forth on discs two and three. However, it is Segovia's romantic touch in transposing Bach's Partitas for Solo Violin--as on his virtuoso turns on the "Chaconne in D Minor"--that best illustrate his poetic conception of the instrument. --Chip Stern

Customer Reviews:

Above All Others.......2006-10-16

John Williams, David Russell, Christopher Parkening, Julian Bream, et. al. all owe a great deal to this now departed giant. If you own ANY classical guitar recordings, you should purchase this collection. It's not only the finest remastering available, but an equisitely fine selection of Segovia's contribution to the genre and the art.

The Great Master, of Masters.......2005-06-28

Andrés Segovia was the great master of classical guitar. This set show us 400 years of music taken for the guitar, he was the first in give the guitar place like a cult instrument in 20th century through his works invaluable transcriptions of several instruments (cello, lute, etc.) of composers like Bach, Dowland, Manuel M. Ponce, Fernando Sor, Tárrega, etc.

The scope from Segovia has leaved footsteps in the great world of classical music, for his research and investigations about it. In this set we can listen pieces like "six pavanas" from the ending Age Middle of Luis Milán, and begginig of Rennasaince like Dowland's songs togheter Roncali Ludovico between others on CD 3.
Also show us the great spanish composer Enrique Granados, Torroba, Sor, icons of guitar music. I Basically bought this cd for "Pavane" 1-6 and that better found it in this GREAT SET. If you're a lover of Classical Music, or classical guitar this one of the greatest set box ever made in any genre!!!.

Andrés Segovia, Marquis of Salobreia, was born near Jaen, Granada, Spain. He became a guitarist against the double opposition of his parents. First, they opposed his learning the guitar and got him cello and piano teachers instead. When he persisted in teaching himself guitar, they opposed his becoming a musician. He sought a guitar teacher at the Granada Institute of Music when he studied there, but found none, so continued learning the instrument on his own. He made his debut at the Centro Artística in Granada at the age of 15. He played so skillfully that he was urged to become a professional soloist. He played in Madrid in 1912, at the Paris Conservatory in 1915, and in Barcelona in 1916, and made a wildly successful tour of South America in 1919. He made his formal debut in Paris on April 7, 1924, in a program which included a new work written for him by Albert Roussel, named Segovia. It was the first of many works which were written for him by distinguished composers, enriching the instrument's repertory as Segovia had elevated its artistic potential. His U.S. debut was at Town Hall, New York, on January 8, 1928.

Being self-taught, his technique was unique. It was, in fact, superior to that which was being taught at the time, and extended the flexibility and expressive possibilities of the instrument. The main difference was in the method of using the right hand for strumming and picking the strings: Segovia's method paid much attention to the means of attack: whether hard parts of the fingers, fleshy parts, or the nails were used; other subtleties that affected the dynamics of the instrument; and an economy of motion that allowed longer and more sustained playing. There were classical guitarists before him, and distinguished ones even when he appeared, but it was not an instrument that was regarded as a serious vehicle for classical music. Segovia personally changed that, and not by accident. No doubt affected by his parents' attitude toward his chosen career, he had a driving desire to make it so. He wrote numerous transcriptions of older music for lute and for the Spanish vihuela. He transcribed music of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Chopin, Handel, and others. He commissioned works by Castelnuovo-Tedesco (notably the great suite Platero and I), Falla, Turina, Tansman, Villa-Lobos, Torroba, Ponce, and Rodrigo, whose Fantasia para un gentilhombre was written for him. His reinstatement of the guitar as a solo instrument was sealed by his becoming one of the great teachers of music history. He established guitar schools or courses at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena, Santiago de Compostela, and the University of California in Berkeley. His students included Alirio Diaz, Oscar Ghilia, and John Williams.

Segovia become one of the great names in classical music, whose mere name was enough to sell out houses worldwide. He received numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Grand Cross of Isabela and Alfonso, the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society of London, and many honorary degrees. The house where he was born had a commemorative plaque attached to it in 1969 proclaiming him the "leading son of the city." King Juan Carlos of Spain ennobled him as the Marquis of Salobreia in 1981, and in the same year a Segovia International Guitar Competition was established in his honor. He continued to give recitals and concerts until an advanced age, and had the rare opportunity, in 1984, of playing at a gala concert honoring the 75th anniversary of professional debut.

THIS GORGEOUS GUITAR MUSIC BEGS FOR LISTENING. . ........2004-02-24

__________________________________________________________________________________

. . . and I literally begged for this boxed set as a gift a while back and got lucky. The technical quality of the remastering is exquisite - the first 2 CD's especially sound as if you're in a recording studio with the master himself. (disc one includes "Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre" & "Concierto Del Sur" and disc two "Castillos De Espana")

I've found they are now selling the individual CD's separately in the same packaging, so if you're on a limited budget you can collect them at your own speed or limit yourself to those selections you most want. I sincerely recommend them all however and if you buy the boxed set you get the added bonus of an excellent booklet.

There are very few CD's in my collection that I derive as much sheer pleasure listening to. This is indeed a 5 star Segovia collection!

beautiful selection of the decca segovia.......2003-10-02

there probably wasn't a classical guitarist alive in the 1950's and 60's who didn't know by heart all of segovia's decca albums and julian bream's spectacular recordings for rca and westminster. this set will be a stroll down memory lane for everyone with segovia schott editions in the attic, and essential listening for anyone interested in the classical guitar or in discovering a genuine musical genius -- the equal on his instrument of casals, rubenstein or heifitz on theirs.

segovia literally created the 20th century classical guitar out of an instrument with a cachet not far above the banjo. the booklet to the boxed set gives a fine overview of segovia's career and recording practice, though omitting many key details. (segovia innovated guitar concerts in large concert halls because he was among the first to use his fingernails, rather than bare fingertips, to pluck the strings, and pushed guitar makers to build larger, brighter and more sonorous instruments.)

each of the 4 separately cased cds generously samples (up to 80 minutes each) from (1) the guitar concerto; (2) 20th century compositions dedicated to segovia; (3) pieces for lute, vihuela and 19th century guitar, with some albeniz transcriptions thrown in; and (4) segovia's transcriptions of pieces by j.s. bach.

the digital sound in these recordings (almost all from the 1950's) is really superb, giving contour to every detail of the master tapes. it also reveals the changing recording standards of the early lp: though the sound is consistently vivid and balanced, the guitar is sometimes distant and echoy (a "tile bathroom" sound characteristic of the earliest lp's), or intimate but slightly muffled, or bright and contrasty with a hint of added reverb at the top. i was a little taken aback by the uneven dynamics and nail clatter that i hadn't noticed years ago in segovia's playing: modern recording and performance practice have changed expectations toward a more homogenous and finished sound. but there is a spontaneity, fire, grace, color, imagination and wit in segovia's playing that you won't find anywhere else ... well, excepting julian bream.

it's picky to second guess editorial decisions in a set as generous as this ... but what the heck: i really missed tansman's lovely suite of polish dances ("cavatina"), regretted the absence of a complete sonata or suite by manuel ponce, and would trade the boccherini "guitar" (transcribed cello) concerto for the castelnuovo-tedesco guitar concerto. that said, the performances here of rodrigo's "fantasia para un gentilhombre" and ponce's "concerto del sur" are among the best available, and the generous sampling sor etudes will remind all us graying guitarists of the many happy hours we spent practicing these pieces from the only edition then available -- segovia's own.

deutsche grammaphon has also released a 2-cd set of segovia recordings ("the art of andres segovia"), which duplicates only four pieces from this 4-cd boxed set, and veers more toward colorful transcriptions and single movement selections from longer works. together they make a 6 cd collection of many of the finest recordings by the man who started it all, spawned thousands of heirs and imitators -- and set the bar for them very, very high.

There's Only One Segovia.......2002-07-19

This is the PERFECT retrospective boxed set. DG has outdone itself with this career retrospective of Spanish classical guitar legend Andres Segovia. The set was released on the 15th anniversary of Segovia's death in 1987. From the famous "Fantasia para un gentilhombre" to transcriptions of J.S. Bach for the guitar, all four CDs showcase nothing but the genius of Segovia. The remastered DG recordings sound terrific and the accompanying booklet, complete with photographs from throughout the master's life in Spain, is excellent. If you love Spanish classical guitar and adore the 19th-Century romantic style of playing championed by Segovia, buy this set. You won't be disappointed. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Florence Foster Jenkins & Friends: Murder on the High Cs

Average customer rating:

Must be heard to be believed
This is the definitive FFJ!
Sounds Like A Vacuum Cleaner Ingesting An Owl
comedy classic
The "joke", never funny, is now painfully shabby

Florence Foster Jenkins & Friends: Murder on the High Cs
John Charles Thomas , John Charles Thomes , Robert Merrill , Alexander Kipnis , Ezio Pinza , Florence Foster Jenkins , Jack Barnett , Earl Cahn Sammy / Brent , Felicien David , and Leo Delibes
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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"Jonathan & Darlene Edwards - Greatest Hits, Vol. 2"
Jonathan and Darlene's Greatest Hits

ASIN: B0000AE7AO
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Tracks:

Queen of the Night Aria [From The Magic Flute]
Serenata Mexicana
Musical Snuff Box
Like a Bird
Bell Song [Lakme Dub]
Charmant Oiseau [Perle du Brl]
Adele's Laughing Song [Die Fledermaus]
Biassy [Prelude XVI]
Valse Caressante
Little Jack Horner - Alexander Kipnis
Sing a Song of Sixpence - John Charles Thomas
Blue Danube - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra, Josephine Tumminia
Little Old State of Texas - Ezio Pinza, The Sons of the Pioneers
Fireman's Bride [Up in Central Park] - Jeanette MacDonald, Robert Merrill
Song's Gotta Come from the Heart - Jimmy Durante, Helen Traubel
Real Piano Player - Jimmy Durante, Helen Traubel
Please Don't Say No [Thrill of a Romance] - Lauritz Melchior

Customer Reviews:

Must be heard to be believed.......2006-04-09

Even the brilliant Judy Kaye in the recent play "Souvenir" about Ms. Jenkins couldn't quite match the unique sound of this singer, although she came close. For those who like this sort of thing, this is the real thing. The sound on this Naxos CD is superior to RCA's "Glory of the Human Voice??" which covers most of the same territory. The Naxos CD also restores the piano intro to the Bell Song and the heretofore rare Valse Caressante of which only a few pressings are known to exist.

That said, the rest of the (non-Florence) cuts are mostly forgettable. More kitch than camp. Annoying music abounds but the in the realm of the truly, stupendously awful Florence Foster Jenkins remains in a class by herself. No one can really compete with Ms. Jenkins on her own camp grounds and there is no sense in trying. The one exception being the sung "Blue Danube" with Josephine Tumminia and the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra which falls in the "what could they have been thinking?" department.

Personally a little of this sort of thing goes a long way. The Faust Travesty on the RCA set holds a bit more interest (but not all that much). I think a more interesting compliation would consist of "straight" renderings of the various arias and pieces contrasted with Madame Florence's so the listener may fully savor what she achieves in these performances.

Florence gets five stars but the rest of it gets a minus one, so it ends up with four.

This is the definitive FFJ!.......2005-01-09

A fellow reviewer has not paid close attention to the contents of "Murder On The High C's": this release actually contains every recording that FFJ made. She recorded 9 arias and released them on 5 78's (the fifth, "Valse Caressante", was split), all of them gathered here for the first time. What this album omits from the previous cd release ("The Glory??? of the Human Voice") is the arias by an almost equally incompetent baritone. "Murder..." more than compensates for this with the inclusion of some unbelievably tragic recordings by artists who could actually sing but found themselves saddled with shockingly bad material; it's an absolute feast for those who love outsider music. The 'nursery rhyme' songs provoke bewilderment, the swing version of "Blue Danube" must be heard to be believed, and the excellent liner notes accurately describe Lauritz Melchior's valiant performance of "Please Don't Say No" as "the single worst recording of anything ever made by an opera star who should have known better". "Murder On The High C's" is an insanely delirious treasure.

Sounds Like A Vacuum Cleaner Ingesting An Owl.......2004-10-15

Florence Foster Jenkins was a socialite who enjoyed singing in vast disproportion to her musical talent. This CD has some of her greatest works (so to speak) although the disc pales in comparison to her masterwork "The Glory (????) of Human Voice." (In fact several of the songs on this CD are available on that recording.) Particularly ear-shattering are "Musical Snuff Box" (watch out for that last note if you have pets, they will seriously dislike it), "Bell Song" which is essentially a series of a cappella pentatonic scales by and large, and finally the unique rendition of "Valse Caressante" (which was actually released as a single!) which will leave any listener in a near delirium.

In short, these rare Jenkins masterworks are amazing and hilarious. I can't recommend them highly enough to anyone even mildly curious about outsider music. Why the three star rating? It is certainly not due to Florence's participation, rather due to the packaging. The cover boasts "Florence Foster Jenkins and Friends." Little will most people suspect that the "friends" make up about half of the CD, and are totally unrelated to Jenkins except for possessing no musical talent. Some of the songs are merely boring (like the Jimmy Durante selections), and some are quite laughably funny like the dreadful "The Fireman's Bride," and "Please Don't Say No." Finally there is the real puzzler from the "what were they thinking?" file, "Little Jack Horner," an operatic retelling of the classic children's tale. The other reason I only give this disc three stars is because four of the nine Jenkins' songs are available on "The Glory (????) of Human Voice." I had expected different material on this CD.

The bottom line is that this CD is for Florence Foster Jenkins completists. (Ponder that.) People who want more exposure to Florence should buy her delightful "The Glory (????) of Human Voice," which I can't recommend highly enough.

comedy classic.......2004-05-27

In the summer of 2003, I had the luck of hearing Florence's recordings. Even though no one is quite sure whether she meant to be funny or not, listening to her cds always puts me in the best mood. Hearing her try to reach those high notes and missing terribly is the funniest thing in the world!! My family and I love Florence!!!

The "joke", never funny, is now painfully shabby.......2004-03-07

It is sad that a person who apparently had too much money and time to waste could have done so in preserving for an unsuspecting posterity such awful sounds. The so-called friends who flocked by invitation to her concert to relish an event of mockery were at least as much to blame as the poor woman herself for having encouraged such eccentric egocentricity.

Tracks:

Suite No. 1 In E-Flat, Op. 28a: 1. Chaconne
Suite No. 1 In E-Flat, Op. 28a: 2. Intermezzo
Suite No. 1 In E-Flat, Op. 28a: 3. March
Suite No. 2 In F, Op. 28b: 1. March
Suite No. 2 In F, Op. 28b: 2. Song Without Words
Suite No. 2 In F, Op. 28b: 3. Song Of The Blacksmith
Suite No. 2 In F, Op. 28b: 4. Fantasia On The Dargason
Folk Song Suite: 1. March: Seventeen Come Sunday
Folk Song Suite: 2. Intermezzo: My Bonny Boy
Folk Song Suite: 3. March: Folk Songs From Somerset
Toccata Marziale - Ralph Vaughan Williams_
Canzona - Peter Mennin
Psalm - Vincent Persichetti
La Fiesta Mexicana, Mexican Folk Song Symphony For Band: 1. Prelude And Aztec Dance
La Fiesta Mexicana, Mexican Folk Song Symphony For Band: 2. Mass
La Fiesta Mexicana, Mexican Folk Song Symphony For Band: 3. Festival

Customer Reviews:

Fennell Interpretation.......2007-05-14

For Band Conductors / Teachers, there is no better conducting interpretation than those of Frederick Fennell. Tho these recordings are not new recordings, they are still viable interpretations. Glad to see them still available.

Keystone Does Canzona and La Fiesta Better.......2005-11-10

The Songs of Abelard Disc has the definitive Canzona on it. The recently-released H. Owen Reed disc has a much better La Fiesta on it as well.

Great music.......2005-10-14

If you enjoy classical band music with lots of brass, you will like this album. Great horn sections, and some very nice chords.

Brilliant band performances.......2003-12-05

Here is more proof of the wonderful accomplishments that Mercury Records achieved in its "Living Presence" classical recordings between 1951 and 1968. Those were golden years for American music as Mercury utilized the talents of such conductors as Howard Hanson, Antal Dorati, Paul Paray, and, in this case, Frederick Fennell. Fennell is heard here in vintage, superb high fidelity recordings (circa 1955) with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, one of the outstanding musical groups associated with the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

These works for band or wind ensembles were often performed by college or university bands. Indeed, I heard some of them at the College of San Mateo and San Jose State College during the 1960's, right at the time that Mercury was continuing to issue such fine classical recordings. These performances were all recorded with a single microphone, much like RCA's "New Orthophonic" series, but I have often felt that these had better overall sound than the RCA Red Seal recordings of the early 1950's.

The effects of superb, monophonic, high fidelity have seldom been better represented than in the very colorful "La Fiesta Mexicana" by Herbert Owen Reed, given an absolutely dazzling performance by the Eastman musicians.

The two suites for military band by Gustav Holst, as well as Ralph Vaughan Williams' "English Folk Song Suite" and "Toccata Marziale" are representative of a high point in British music, the early twentieth century. Holst and Vaughan Williams were very good friends and compatriots; they both wrote exceptionally well for wind and brass. These are top-notch performances that set a benchmark for the numerous college and university bands who dared to perform these challenging works.

Less known are Peter Mennin's "Canzona for Wind Band" and Vincent Persichetti's "Psalm for Band," but these works by twentieth century American composers are also well performed in these recordings.

This compilation is definitely a musical "treasure" and have seldom sounded as good as in this digital remastering by Phillips.

like finding a long-lost baseball card.......2003-11-30

The affection listeners feel for the old Fennell/Eastman Wind Ensemble series on Mercury is gratifying to read, as these were indeed wonderful landmark recordings. But truth be told, in this instance it's a lot like finding a long-lost baseball card at a flea market - of a player long since retired & whose feats glow brighter in memory than in fact. This is far from the sonic wonder we recall. So unless nostalgia compels you to replace that ancient piece of vinyl (which is a perfectly good reason for buying it), & mono is OK, you'll be much happier listening to the two great Holst Suites & the Vaughan Williams Toccata performed by the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Orchestra on the Chandos label.

Tracks:

La Fiesta Mexicana: Prelude And Aztec Dance
La Fiesta Mexicana: Mass
La Fiesta Mexicana: Carnival
Santa Fe Saga
Symphonic Dance No. 3: 'Fiesta'
Fiesta del Pacifico
Fandango - Fandango

Amazon.com

Howard Dunn died just weeks after the release of this 1990 recording. He had served for 20 years on the faculty of Southern Methodist University, where he led the SMU Wind Symphony and taught music history and conducting. As the founder and artistic director of the Dallas Wind Symphony, which made its debut in 1985, he helped transform what was initially a sight-reading group into one of the few all-professional, non-military wind bands in the country. That Dunn left behind a first-rate organization is clear enough from these readings. The virtuosic writing of Gould's Santa Fe Saga sparks the Texans to some fine playing, as does the colorful scoring of H. Owen Reed's La Fiesta Mexicana--a large-scale work that pays off its debt to Hindemith, and its even more evident borrowings from Petrushka, in shiny new pesos. The extraordinary ambiance of the Meyerson Symphony Center is nicely captured as well: live but not too reverberant, with a superbly graduated decay, it proves to be ideal for this music. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Me gusta mucho! (I like it alot).......2002-10-01

Despite its cheesy title and cover, this album has some very good music nicely played and nicely recorded. It reminded me once again why wind ensembles are so much more fun than orchestras (sorry to all you string players).

I bought this album just because it had a recording of La Fiesta Mexicana, one of my favorite pieces from college. While the performance was crisp, I felt the tempo was a little slow. The recording level was also a little too low in my opinion. I realize this is done to allow for proper dynamic range, but combined with the slow tempo, I felt this recording lacked the sense of frenzy and zest that thrilled me so much when I played the piece in college. Nonetheless, I'm glad I finally have a decent recording of it.

I had never heard of any of the other pieces on this album, so I had few expectations. But every single one is a delight, just as interesting and exciting as La Fiesta Mexicana. The performances are all tight, dynamic, and nuanced. The recording is clear, with a good mix. While each piece is distinctly different from the others, the Mexican theme gives the album a self-consistent flavor.

I definitely recommend this album to anyone who loves "classical" music and is looking for something fun with a slightly modern feel.

I listened to it and IT was great!.......1999-02-17

My name is Ameerah Washington and I'm looking for some muscial pieces that I have lost. Those pieces include La Feista Mexicana, Greensleves, Summerland(vartions from four season I think?) and a particular variation overutre. If anyone out there can help me to find these pieces or atleast put me on the right path to finding these pieces I would most appreciate it.

Tracks:

Bernstein-Grundman: Candide Overture
Schuman: George Washington Bridge
Copland: An Outdoor Overture
Copland-Hindsley: El Salon Mexico
Schuman: New England Triptych; No. 1: Chester
-8. Reed (H. Owen): La Fiesta Mexicana

Album Description

Wind symphony classics from the American composers Copland, Bernstein, Schuman, and H. Owen Reed.

Customer Reviews:

Recording Quality Sub Par compared to the Dallas Wind Symphony recording.......2006-05-18

The interpretation and recording quality is "collegiate" compared to the DWS's. This is so in much the same way that the Eastman Merury recordings of the 50's and 60's aren't. They set a new standard for both. That's the best way to put it without too long a dissertation. I don't mean it in a negative way but it sounds a lot like any one of the performances of about ten or fifteen other College Wind Ensembles I can think of.

The DWS recording is the must have version if you must choose. It's a standout in recording quality and interpretation.

It's for these reasons that you can find so many of Reference's CD's on The Absolute Sound's" top CD list.

Just be careful. It has ruined many high end stereo amps and speakers by guileless owners who underestimate the dynamics that lie within!

I have both and glad I have them. I just wouldn't put the Cincinatti first over all others!

Incredible wind band music .......2005-11-02

This recording is perhaps one of the best wind band recordings I have ever heard. Gene Corporon and the Cincinatti Wind Symphony are spectacular. Their take on La Fiesta Mexicana is definitely the best recording I have ever heard of that piece.

Average customer rating:

Magnificent!

Missa Mexicana

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

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Dvorák: Cello Concerto [Hybrid SACD]
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto (Hybr)

ASIN: B0000B003N
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Customer Reviews:

Magnificent!.......2003-11-20

Beautiful music, the players clearly enjoying themselves in a breathtaking performance. Superb!!
SACD sound is much more natural than the CD layer!

Orff: Carmina Burana Suite; Bird: Serenade for Wind Instruments; Reed: La Fiesta Mexicana

Average customer rating:

Carmina, the winds expound!
The vocal part is totally missing from this Carmina Burana Suite
Three Four-Letter Composers

Orff: Carmina Burana Suite; Bird: Serenade for Wind Instruments; Reed: La Fiesta Mexicana

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Monumental Works for Winds
Winds of Nagual
Giannini: Symphony No. 3; Praeludium and Allegro; Variations and Fugue
Redline Tango
Persichetti: Divertimento; Masquerade; Parable

ASIN: B000GNOHNW
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Tracks:

I. O Fortuna, Velut Luna
II. Fortune Plango Vulnera
III. Ecce Gratum
IV. Tanz: Uf Dem Anger
V. Floret Silva Nobilis
VI. Were Diu Werlt Alle Min
VII. Amor Volat Undique
VIII. Ego Sum Abbas
IX. In Taberna Quando Sumus
X. In Trutina
XI. Dulcissime
XII. Ave, Formossissima
XIII. Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
IV. Allegro Energico
I. Prelude And Aztec Dance
II. Mass
III. Carnival

Customer Reviews:

Carmina, the winds expound!.......2007-01-13

Hey, you love CB as much as I do? For winds, this is special; and this orch. does a great job - without repetition (essential in vocal form) or some of the passages that cannot transcend the medium. Wonderful!!! A pleasure to hear and short enough for those who know every note by heart. Naxos never borke your wallet either; a bargain, my friend. Really four and 7/10 stars!

The vocal part is totally missing from this Carmina Burana Suite.......2006-11-21

The vocal part is totally missing from this Carmina Burana Suite. When I bought it, I was not paying attention. What a mistake! Can you imagine Beethoven's Ninth Symphany without the vocal part?

Three Four-Letter Composers.......2006-09-17

No, I don't mean they used four-letter words. I'm just remarking on the strange fact that each of these composers has a four-letter last name -- Orff, Bird, Reed -- a nice kind of symmetry.

Probably for most buyers the big attraction here will be the suite taken from Carl Orff's 'Carmina Burana' but for me it was the least attractive thing on the CD. Although it is expertly done and expertly played, as well as expertly recorded, I cannot, I'm sorry to admit, hear this music without supplying in my mind's ear the vocal parts of the score, missing in this all-instrumental version. After all the original requires vocal soloists and three choirs. That (rather large for me) quibble aside, this is a good performance of the suite as arranged by John Krance. The arrangement shortens the original partly by eliminating lots of Orff's repeats, appropriate in a non-vocal version.

The big discovery here, though, is the delectable Wind Serenade, Op. 40 of the all-but-forgotten Arthur Bird. He was born in Belmont, Massachusetts in 1856, had his initial instruction in music from his father and uncle who were hymn composers and arrangers. He was sent in his teens to Berlin where he studied for several years, eventually becoming a friend and acolyte of Franz Liszt. He returned briefly to North American (Halifax, Nova Scotia) and then moved back to Berlin permanently where he married a rich widow, living in a palace and maintaining a sumptuous downtown Berlin apartment. He wrote an opera, 'Daphne', and is reputed to be the first American to write music for a major ballet, 'Rübezahl.' He wrote an early wind octet for the famous French flute virtuoso, Paul Taffanel, but that is not the work heard here. The notes for this release are virtually non-existent and they get the instrumentation wrong. My ears tell me that this work is for ten winds -- two each of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons and horns. The work is in four movements and lasts a little more than twenty-four minutes. It is exceedingly tuneful, has a skillful contrapuntal texture for much of its length, is harmonically very much of the late 19th-century, reminding me at times of chamber works for wind by Richard Strauss or Ludwig Thuille. In my opinion, this work is worthy of frequent presentation. It is a truly superior work of its kind. And the Peabody wind players do a heckuva job here. I've now listened to the work four times and keep discovering new delights.

Much better known, at least in the band world, is the music of the now-96-year-old H. Owen Reed, the long-time professor of composition at Michigan State University and a doyen of wind band music in America. 'La Fiesta Mexicana' is a wind symphony based on Mexican folksongs and from its premiere in the mid-1950s by the US Marine Band, for whom it was written, it has been played literally hundreds of times by wind ensembles all over the world. It has also served as music for a ballet. It is notable for its rhythmic complexity (especially in the third movement), creative use of brass and percussion, and a hieratic complexion unexpectedly compatible with echoes of mariachi music. I counted six other recordings of the work available here at Amazon.com. I know those conducted by renowned band conductors Frederick Fennell and Eugene Corporon and the present recording deserves to stand in their company. This is a sizzling account of the lovable work.

I am giving this recording five stars even though I was less than sold by the wind ensemble arrangement of 'Carmina Burana.' That's because I suspect that others will love it and am willing to concede that my response may be idiosyncratic.

Scott Morrison

Average customer rating:

One of the most interesting and best recorded Early Music programs available
Ridiculously fine recording
Superb - if idiosyncratic - performances!!
Fabulous, exciting Baroque music
A joyous 17th century multicultural jam session!

Missa Mexicana
Andrew Lawrence-King , and The Harp Consort
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Padilla: Music of the Mexican Baroque
Mexican Baroque
Masterpieces of Mexican Polyphony
Spanish Dances
El arte de fantasía

ASIN: B000068327
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Tracks:

Villancico: Canten dos jilguerillos (Francisco Escalada)
Kirie: [Missa Ego flos campi] (Juan Gutiirrez de Padilla)
Jacaras de la costa (Santiago de Murcia)
Xaacara: Los que fueren de buen gusto (Francisco de Vidales)
Gloria: [Missa Ego flos campi]
Corrente Italiana (Juan Cabanilles)
Xacara: A la xacara xacarilla (Juan Gutiirrez de Padilla)
Credo: [Missa Ego flos campi]
Cumbies (Santiago de Murcia)
Negrilla: A siolo flasiquiyo (Juan Gutiirrez de Padilla)
Sanctus [Missa Ego flos campi]
Marizapalos a lo humano: Marizapalos bajs una tarde (Anonymous: 17th-century Peru)
Marizapalos a lo divino: Serafin que con dulce harmonma (Joan Cererols)
Diferencias sobre marizapalos (Miguel Pirez de Zavala)
Agnus Dei [Missa Ego flos campi]
Guaracha: Convidando esta la noche (Juan Garcma de Zispedes)

Amazon.com

"New Spain" comes roaring to life on Missa Mexicana. The disc's mainstay is a Mass setting by Juan Gutiiérez de Padilla, who was appointed maestro de capella at Mexico's Puebla Cathedral in 1629. Although Padilla was born in Andalucía, his work came to embrace Mexico: the rhythms of its dances, the exuberance of its song, and the textures of its popular instrumental ensembles (complete with guitars, percussion, and shawms). Padilla was not a pioneer in this regard; at the time, Spain's sacred music was also greatly influenced by secular sounds. But perhaps the greatest draw of this repertoire, as Andrew Lawrence-King shows off so well, is the tight interweaving of European, Native, and African cultures in Padilla's Mexico, and how he and his contemporaries utilized all of these cultural streams in their own work. Bolstered by an array of other compositions of the age, Lawrence-King makes a strong case for 17th-century Mexico as a cultural crossroads, not merely as a remote outpost of Spanish influence. One prime example is Santiago de Murcia's "Cumbées," with its call-and-response vocals, delicate, mbira-like instrumental interlude, and earthy drumbeat recalling West African music. Another is Padilla's own Christmastime negrilla, "A siolo flasiquiyo," which invites worshipers to dance the guacambe, canario, and villano to celebrate the Messiah's coming. As on his other recordings, harpist and conductor Andrew Lawrence-King has brought together a host of today's most respected early music specialists for this trip to Mexico, including soprano Ellen Hargis, bass Paul Hillier, and gamba player Hille Perl. Lawrence-King himself performs on the Spanish harp, organ, and psaltery. As one might expect from such a gathering, the ensemble is top notch, in both technical expertise and musicianship. The singers (and instrumentalists) are equally comfortable in both Missa Mexicana's religious and earthly spheres, moving from a Gloria to a bawdy song with ease. --Anastasia Tsioulcas

Customer Reviews:

One of the most interesting and best recorded Early Music programs available.......2006-09-26

This program performed by Andrew Lawrence-King and the Harp Consort is built around Juan Gutierrez de Padilla's (c. 1590-1664) Missa Ego flos campi. Padilla served as maestro of the Puebla Cathedral in Mexico from 1629 until his death, the choir of which was considered to be finest in all of Spain's colonies.

On this release, Andrew Lawrence-King has paired each of the Mass' five movements with one or more dance pieces either composed by Padilla or another contemporary composer. This purpose of this approach is to bring together Padilla's vibrant Mass, which itself is permeated with dance elements, with the actual dance pieces (ex: villancicos) that influenced Padilla. In addition to impacting the style of Padilla's sacred works, such dance pieces were actually included on church programs in 17th-century Mexico. Church authorities were a bit ambivalent about the inclusion of such dance pieces on church programs, as they were seen as being "excessively arousing" by some, but others noted that such pieces brought people into church which would not otherwise attend.

Despite being relatively unknown today, Padilla was obviously a first-rate composer. What makes his music remarkably fascinating is how naturally he combines Spanish and Italian stylistic elements with the harmonies and rhythms of the New World, in addition to African music brought to Central America by slaves. Padilla's "Negrilla" (Track 10) for instance, incorporates African rhythms and drums with elements of the European Renaissance. The end result is mesmerizing, especially the complicated and thrilling conclusion. The "A la xácara xacarilla" (Track 7) combines native percussion instruments with a bajón (precursor to the bassoon) and guitars in an intoxicating dance melody. The vocalists in particular do an outstanding job in breathing life into this piece through their enthusiastic and characteristic singing. The final piece on the program, the "Guaracha," itself alone is worth the price of the CD. More than being "excessively arousing" this piece, employing virtually every music instrument known, is downright exhilarating.

The ensemble performing this music is incredibly varied, and includes a large contingent of Mexican baroque guitars, a sackbut, a shawm, a Spanish harp and a percussion section consisting of all types of drums, a rainstick and even a conch shell. The vocalists and instrumentalists provide very enthusiastic and characteristic performances. The sound quality here is audiophile quality.

In short, this disc belongs in any collection of Early Music, but those out there who are not fans of the genre would find much to like here as well. This is fantastic music, which is marvelously performed and recorded. A winner on all accounts.

Highest recommendation!!

TT: 69:11

***
As a side note, those who are enthusiastic about this CD should also check out the Villancicos y Danzas Criollas released by Alia Vox and Moon, Sun & All Things released by Hyperion.

Ridiculously fine recording.......2006-09-18

At the risk of exposing myself as a true music dork I'm happy to say that I am inspired by the amount of scholarship behind this recording! More important however is that the music making on this disc cannot be accused of being too dry. No, Andrew Lawrence-King and his Harp Concert et.al. are obviously excited about this program. Their enthusiasm is contagious. The balance between sacred, secular and instrumental provides a great overview of 17th century Spanish music of the New World. This is the type of recording you can listen to from start to finish and then repeat. Highly recommended.

Superb - if idiosyncratic - performances!!.......2005-05-23

New-World [Hispanic] music from the 16th-18th centuries has experienced something of a renaissance in recent years, and a number of excellent recordings have been released, of which this is indeed a superlative example. Andrew Lawrence-King and the Harp Consort present a vividly atmospheric programme which is centred around the Missa Ego Flos Campi by one of the leading composers of the period, Juan Gutierrez de Padilla (c.1590-1664), the maestro de capilla at Puebla Cathedral. Padilla's Mass is complemented with examples of secular music by his contemporaries - villancicos, xacaras, etc.

In truth, it is perhaps difficult to know how representative of 17th century Mexico this recording is, and for the purist there are certain issues which may raise a few eyebrows...[Padilla's 42-part choir is reduced to a handful of soloists; Santiago de Murcia's 'Cumbees' - primarily intended for guitar - are arranged for harp and interspersed with pseudo-African scat-syllabic improvisations, rendering the notated 'golpes' practically inaudible; Juan Cabanilles' 'Corrente Italiana' - originally for organ - is transfered to a continuo group of harp, bajon, guitars and percussion; etc....]

Yet given the strength of the performances, these musicological quibbles perhaps loose their significance. These are truly stylish interpretations combining flair with panache, and the line up includes some excellent (and well-known) exponents of early music.

Incidentally, if you've enjoyed this recording, you should also explore similar (if not even better - if that's possible!) ones by Jordi Savall & Hesperion XXI ['Villancicos y danzas criollas', Alia Vox AV9834] and Gabriel Garrido & Ensemble Elyma [in particular 'Fiesta Criolla', K617139 and 'Juan de Araujo - L'Or et L'Argent du Haut-Perou', K617124].

Fabulous, exciting Baroque music.......2005-02-02

The title says it all. I cannot add to the other laudatory reviews. Pay no attention whatsoever to the negative review. The writer obviously has no comprehension of what music is about. This is fabulous Baroque music with Latin and African flavoring. We who love Baroque music are indebted to to Mr. Andrew Lawrence-King for making this music available to us. I truly love the European Baroque and own a great many CDs of it, including some of the lesser known names. But it is truly wonderful to expand one's horizons into a hitherto little known area of Baroque music. I am enriched by it and I know you will be also.

A joyous 17th century multicultural jam session!.......2004-01-28

With 'Missa Mexicana' Andrew Lawrence-King and The Harp Consort provide one of the most joyous and thought-provoking discs of early music around. For an album that is 'crossover' in the best sense of the word, they take a 17th century mass by a Mexican composer and juxtapose it with the popular music that inspired it. All of this music is gorgeous, earthy, elegant, sensuous and passionate. Not surprisingly considering that many of the pieces are dances, it will undoubtedly set your toes tapping as well as have you humming. In addition to the standard harps, gambas, bass viols, etc., that one would expect from music of this period, The Harp Consort also includes Mexican guitars, bajons, and even a conch and a rain stick! The playing and the singing are superb, and Lawrence-King not only directs the ensemble but provides wonderful accompaniment on the harp and psaltery. The sheer joy everyone brings to the performance makes it seem like a particularly successful jam session, even though it is obvious just how much hard work and research has been put into it.

Mexico in the 1600s was a rich mixture of ethnic groups and cultures, and its music reflects this. The main influence is Spanish Renaissance polyphony (Spain at this time was in its musical golden age - the 'siglo d'oro'), but there is also help from Portuguese immigrants, Native Mexicans (Mayan), and Africans from the Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Puerto Rico. As well, there is constant tension between the sacred and secular worlds.

The core of this recording is a 'parody mass' (that is, the polyphony has been reconstructed from previously written motets) by Juan Gutierrez de Padilla, a Spanish composer who emigrated to Mexico and became the choir director of the Cathedral in Puebla in 1629. This work is radiant and lighthearted and although more formal than the other music on this disc, is still heavily influenced by dance rhythms. Unlike in many mass settings, phrases such as 'bonae voluntatis', 'credo' and 'confiteor' are repeated as refrains. The accompaniment is also rather spare, relying primarily on guitars with occasional percussion. Each section of the mass is surrounded by popular songs and dances of the time which have lyrics based on religious themes, as was often done at the time to delight the worshipers - and assure their church attendance!

Two tenors sing of goldfinches singing softly to the infant sun in 'Canten los jilguerillos', the vilancico (popular dance) that begins the CD. We later hear examples of one of the most popular musical forms of this time - the xacara, a particular type of vilancico normally in D minor and sung in backstreet Madrid dialects. 'Jacaras de costa', which includes the aforementioned conch shell and rain stick, is an instrumental variation in a major key and has the same theme as the vocal 'Los de queren de bon gusto' which it leads into. Like 'A la xacara xacarilla', this xacara, with the singers egging each other on ('vaya, vaya!' or 'vaya pues!') to keep dancing and adding more verses, is as much about the pleasure of making music ('Look at my nice new xacara which I will sing in Bethlehem!') as it is about the religious symbolism expressed within.

Another common style was the Marizapalos, a romance which could have either a secular or sacred theme. 'Marizapalos a lo humano', a bawdy song about a priest's niece who goes to meet her lover, is full of sexual innuendo, but elevates physical love into something holy. In contrast 'Marizapalos a lo divino' speaks of the divine harmony of the seraphim and has a melody very reminiscent of the main theme from Joaquin Rodrigo's 'Fantasia alla gentilhombre' - I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of Rodrigo's sources! There is also a lovely instrumental variation ('Diferencias sobre marizapalos') on this theme.

Some of the most interesting music on this disc doesn't have obviously 'Hispanic' origins. The 'Corriente Italiano', a broad, elegant and courtly instrumental dance of Italian origin, is made Spanish by syncopation, and is my favorite track on the disc. From Africa come 'Cumbees', a call and response (variations on the word 'cumbe') puctuated by heavy drums, and the negrilla, 'A siolo flasiquiyo' depicts a group of African musicians who are celebrating the baby Jesus, but have to be careful to not play so loud that they wake Him! Some of the lyrics here are admittedly a bit too 'minstrel show' for 21st century audiences, but the music is still gorgeous, particularly the exuberant refrain 'Tumbucutu, cutu, cutu'.

The CD comes to a breathtaking finish with the guaracha 'Convidando esta noche', where the final, ecstatic 'Ay, ay, ay!' will linger long after it ends.

The thick booklet is illustrated with skeletons to recall the Mexican 'Day of the Dead' tradition, and contains full Latin and Spanish texts and English and French translations, as well as websites if you want other languages. Lawrence-King contributes an essay detailing the historical background and structure of the music and lyrics. There is also a CD insert that indicates which musicians are playing in which selections, although it is a pity they do not identify the actual INSTRUMENTS played, as each musician plays several.

'Missa Mexicana' is music-making of the highest integrity and not to be missed. In addition to adventurous classical music lovers, I would also recommend this disc to people coming from the 'other side', that is those who may not be particularly fond of classical music but who like more 'traditional' Mexican and Latin American sounds. Either way, this is one of the most original, imaginative, and fun discs I've heard in a long time, and it deserves to be a huge bestseller.

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