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Pleasures of the Royal Courts
Elektra: Nonesuch
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Courtly Art of the Trouvères: Tant Con Je Vivrai (Hale, Adam de La) La - Early Music Consort of London- Burgundian Court of Philip the Good: Falla Con Misuras (Gulielmus, M.)
- German Court of Emperor Maximilian I: Isbruck, Ich Muß Dich Lassen (Isa
- Italian Music of the Medici Court: O Fallace Speranza (Scotto, Paolo) T
- Spanish Courts in the Early 16th Century: Recercadas Primera y Segunda
Average customer rating:
A good addition to an early music library.
Here we have an interesting sampling of early European music from the Middle-Ages to the Renaissance. The selections vary from dance music, carnival music, and music for more formal events. Its an even distribution of both instrumental and vocal pieces. As is most often the case, much of the music is of anonymous origin. The geographic origin is mainly France, Spain, and Burgundy.
A Must for Early Music Lovers!
I bought this CD about a year ago, and truly enjoy going "back in time" as I listen to it. As a collector of medieval manuscripts and books, I listen to this CD while studying and admiring my collection. Each track truly adds that special touch of actually being there at the time these manuscripts were created. The vocals are authentically done, and the compilation of music from each country and century are beautifully arranged on this CD. Listen, and travel through three centuries with this CD, and you will surely be taken back to the court dances held inside, and outside, the ancient castles of those times.
Good intro to early music
I've always liked this recording for the variety of pieces it contains: Italian, Spanish, German, Burgundian. The main drawback is that they only have one singer - some pieces with vocal harmony would have been nice.
insensitive to the medieval repertoire
The renaissance pieces are satisfying enough, but the medieval selections are treated so poorly as to be insulting. In the light of newer recordings, this album falls flat track after track. The musicianship is coarse, the singing inane, the arrangements crude. Such performances only perpetuate the image of the middle ages as a cultural wasteland, which demonstrates ignorance and lack of perspective.
Good Early Music :-)
I really enjoy listing to my copy of this album especially while surfing the net or playing Age of Kings. I turn off the game music and listen to this instead - Hey the game IS set in the Middle Ages ;-) Also good for playing while reading fantasy stories set in pseduo-european middle age worlds! I wish I knew alot about music so I could post a learned and studied review. All I can say is I really enjoy this cd and am very glad I bought it. I have since ordered more music by the Early Music Consort of London as I the more I listen to this cd and similar music the more I want to hear it!
For more good early music I really like Ensemble Unicorn and Sonus.