Acantus: Sacred Songs of Medieval Italy

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
In our age of widespread literacy, it's easy to forget that the vast majority of music that survives from the Middle Ages was, merely by virtue of being written down, the dominion of an elite minority. On their debut CD, the Italian ensemble Acantus (the first group other than the Tallis Scholars to record for the Gimell label) approaches medieval Italian devotional song from the angle of common Italian folk music rather than of the erudite plainchant and polyphony preserved in most medieval sources. The pieces selected include several examples of chant-based "simple polyphony" that seem clearly derived from improvisatory practices--in Acantus's convincing performances, the effect is like that of the spontaneous harmonizations Americans might sing around a campfire. These musicians use medieval instruments in about half the pieces--and use them sparingly in those--but the effect is always well considered and natural. Even when, in a hymn praising the crucified Christ and the Holy Cross, they use bagpipes and tambourine, the effect is fervent and exciting, without the faint whiff of condescension that often appears when "classical" early-music groups use those instruments. It's probably a measure of Acantus's success at recapturing the musical spirit of ordinary folk in medieval Italy that the one piece they include that survives today in the oral tradition (a hymn from Liguria) fits right in with the rest of the record. --Matthew Westphal

Acantus: Sacred Songs of Medieval Italy, Music, Anonymous, Italian Anonymous, Acantus, Alessandra Fiori, Gloria Moretti, Choral, Choral Music, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Early Music / Chant, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music
Acantus: Sacred Songs of Medieval Italy
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Fresh sounds from Medieval polyphony
  • Very Good
 Acantus: Sacred Songs of Medieval Italy

Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

GeneralGeneral | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ClassicalClassical | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000059GLX
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

  1. Adoramus Te Christe
  2. Vergene Madre Pia
  3. Quasi Cedrus
  4. Verzene Benedeta
  5. O Virgineta Bella
  6. Sicut Pratum
  7. Salve, Sancte Pater/Salve Sponsa Dei
  8. Salve Virgo Rubens Rosa
  9. Credo Apostolorum
  10. Sanctus & Benedictus
  11. Qui Nos Fecit Ex Nichilo
  12. Gaude Flore
  13. Alleluia
  14. De Profundis
  15. Cum Autem Venissem
  16. O Crux Fructus
  17. Adoramus Te Domine

Amazon.com

In our age of widespread literacy, it's easy to forget that the vast majority of music that survives from the Middle Ages was, merely by virtue of being written down, the dominion of an elite minority. On their debut CD, the Italian ensemble Acantus (the first group other than the Tallis Scholars to record for the Gimell label) approaches medieval Italian devotional song from the angle of common Italian folk music rather than of the erudite plainchant and polyphony preserved in most medieval sources. The pieces selected include several examples of chant-based "simple polyphony" that seem clearly derived from improvisatory practices--in Acantus's convincing performances, the effect is like that of the spontaneous harmonizations Americans might sing around a campfire. These musicians use medieval instruments in about half the pieces--and use them sparingly in those--but the effect is always well considered and natural. Even when, in a hymn praising the crucified Christ and the Holy Cross, they use bagpipes and tambourine, the effect is fervent and exciting, without the faint whiff of condescension that often appears when "classical" early-music groups use those instruments. It's probably a measure of Acantus's success at recapturing the musical spirit of ordinary folk in medieval Italy that the one piece they include that survives today in the oral tradition (a hymn from Liguria) fits right in with the rest of the record. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Fresh sounds from Medieval polyphony.......2005-11-18

'Acantus', the album and group name presents Italian medieval liturgical music with a distinct sound which sets it apart from most other medieval music I have heard.

I am not an expert on music, let alone medieval polyphony, although I listen to a lot of old music and there is a tendency for it to all run together and sound the same.

On this recording, there is a distinctly Mediterranean tenor to the vocals. I will not go so far as to say I would immediately recognize this music as originating in Italy, but I would identify it to being from either Italy or Spain rather than from France, Germany, or England.

Some pieces also have an unusual and primative form of percussion I have heard no where else.

If you like early music, this album is a very pleasant change.

4 out of 5 stars Very Good.......2002-01-04

The primary singers here are two women who use a vibrato-free, strong, chesty tone that works well for this music. They are joined on occasion by one of the male instrumentalists, and I think there might have been a little use (just a little) of the multi-track recording device to cause the female vocalists to sprout a twin sister at strategic points here and there. This recording departs from other early religious music recordings in that this is "peasant" music rather than "high church" music. Consequently, the form of the music is simple when compared to its high church counterpart. If you are looking for one of those recordings of masterful motets, this isn't it. Even though the simplicity of the music presents the risk of a boring recording, the performers do a good job of keeping boredom at bay. I must admit, toward the end of the recording, it wouldn't have hurt to have a complex piece or two to spice things up, but that would have been at odds with the theme of this recording. Given the quality of the recording, it's a shame this is the only recording by the group (that I can find). I think fans of early music should consider this an essential recording to have, but I would probably restrict my recommendation to those fans only. By the way, if I recall correctly, I believe Grammophone magazine (or was it Fanfare?) gave this a high rating too; that's what drew my attention to it.

Track Listings:

  1. Antonio Vivaldi: Concerti Op. 8
  2. Artur Schnabel: Sonata for Violin & Piano; Sonata for Violin Solo
  3. Bach J.S: Brandenburg Concertos Nos. 4 & 6, Suite No.2 [Import]
  4. Bach: Works for Organ, Vol. 13
  5. Backhaus: The Complete British Acoustic Recordings, 1908-25
  6. Barbara Frittoli ~ Mozart / Sir Charles Mackerras, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
  7. Barber: Adagio for Strings/Violin Concerto/Schuman: To Thee Old Cause/In Praise Of Shahn
  8. Bartók:The Three Piano Concertos
  9. Beethoven: Serenade in D Major Op. 8; Trio in E-flat Major Op. 3 - The Leopold Trio
  10. Brahms: Piano Sonata, Op. 5 / Four Ballades, Op. 10

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Island Bound

Monteverdi, Zanetti, Mussi and others

Painful

Introducing Kenny Burrell: The First Blue Note Sessions [Original recording remastered]

Crazy to Exist-Live [Import] [Live]

On the Real Side-New Jersey Soul

Racy Brothers

Music for Meditation, Vol. 3

Pleasure Principle [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Mystic Chords of Genocide: Music of Holocaust

Music to Listen to Red Norvo By

Love Story [Import]

Leyendas Nortenas

Lost Blues Tapes/More American Folk Blues Festival

Explorations