Maurice Ohana, a composer featured on this album, believed the voice holds the key to new musical adventures, attempting to liberate it to its primitive state found in African music, flamenco, and Central European music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Alfonso X El Sabio's Cantigas de Santa Maria, featured on this album, show influences from troubadours, trouvères, and Gregorian chant, with surprising resemblances to composers like Bartók and even modern songwriters like the Beatles.
Recording & Production
For this recording, the orchestra was arranged in consorts for early repertoire and in mixed desks for Ohana and Stravinsky, with the chorus placed in a surrounding circle.
Interpretation
The program interweaves Machaut's polyphony with Spanish cantigas and the music of Stravinsky and Ohana, with medieval music serving as the primary inspiration.
Composer Biography
Alfonso X El Sabio (1221-1284), whose Cantigas de Santa Maria are on this album, was a warrior, legislator, poet, and musician who undertook a colossal work of compilation and composition.
Album & Artwork
The album's director, Simon-Pierre Bestion, aimed to disorient the listener across historical periods, making it difficult to distinguish between ancient and modern music.
Interpretation
The album's program is conceived as a reinvented liturgy, based on Catholic rites but extending beyond them, creating a new ritual that evokes strong emotions.
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