Johannette Zomer and Antequera - Cantigas de Santa Maria - CD
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cd cover Johannette Zomer and Antequera
Cantigas de Santa Maria (Eno nome de maria) (Alpha Productions)

The Crusade against the Albigensians (in southern France) forced many musicians to take refuge in Spain. Collected by King Alphonse X, these cantigas are directly inspired by these artists as they adapted to their new situation in Spain. Zomer and the ensemble Anterquera have explored these works and give them a unique, semi-formal presentation (classical? early music?) that has life and energy.

   

Tracks:
1 Miragres Fremosos (6'17)
2 Santa Maria loei (5'09)
3 Como ponden (3'09)
4 Muito per é ran dereito (7'48)
5 Virgen Madre groriosa (6'11)`
6 Des oge mais (11'30)
7 Dized' ai trobadores (1'24)
8 Todolos santos (3'30)
9 En todo tempo faz ben (4'21)
10 Non pode prender (3'01)
11 Eno nome de Maria (6'39)
12 Prólogo - Por que trobar (7'22)

The performance style of the group Antequera, with the extraordinary singer Johannette Zomer, is yet another addition in terms of formal inventiveness. In this we find melodies shared between voice and instruments (Miragres fremosos) together with interpretations in which the solo female voice is accompanied by single or double vocal bourdons (Santa María loei). A purely instrumental performance (Como ponden) would be questionable, whereas the sung chorus and the narrated verses take us right to the melodies of the Wise King. When the singer is accompanied by the Arabian lute, she strives to imitate it by producing microtones in the final sustained notes (Virgen Madre groriosa). The extraordinary voice and exquisite style of Zomer make this a very pleasant recording to listen to. The instrumental accompaniments are quite discreet and do not overshadow the vocal performance at any time. The realisation of Dized'ai trobadores, with its alternation between the troubadours and the narrator, is especially recommended. - Goldberg

Musicians:
Johannette Zomer, chant
Sabine Van Der Heyden, chant & synfonie
Carlos Ferreira Santos, chant
Sarah Walden, vielle
Lucas Van Gent, r'bab & flûte à bec
René Genis, luth
Michèle Claude, percussion
Robert Siwak, percussion

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