Search - Silvana Licursi :: Far From the Land of Eagles

Traditional Albanian Music with a Medieval & Classical Sound

Erika Borsos | Gulf Coast of FL, USA | 01/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Silvana Licursi creates beautiful, haunting, ethereal songs that sound medieval and classical rather than traditional - they are a tribute to the Albanian community which has existed in Italy for over 500 years. The photo of Silvana ... looking into the distance, as if experienceing a vision, while holding an Albanian styled lute, carved with a double headed eagle ... is highly symbolic of her nostalgic expressive voice ... as well as the contents of the CD.Nostalgia, memories, longing - these are what I feel although I do not understand Albanian. The quality of Silvana's voice, the emotional inflection, express the depth and feeling of her soul.
The English translations of the lyrics in the liner notes are simple words that express the heart-felt complexity of life ... For instance, on track #1, "The Hawk" we learn it is a sunny day without a wind, when the singer views a hawk in the sky, who speaks her language... she also sees a violet of great beauty which she picks ... flowers become a symbol of love as a lover speaks about the girl in the mountains, who needs to show her heart (feelings) to him. He invites her to visit him. "The Nightengale" is one of the most meaningful songs on this CD. It describes a young girl beseeching whoever hears her, to bury her with two wholes in the ground so she can hear the song of the nightengale. The chorus beckons everyone to dance & let's us know "he picked the most beautiful girl". Next verse, the yong girl heard a price being discussed ("the bride's price". The young girl is weeping - at the thought of leaving her mother and father. She is reassured by the chorus, there are still beautiful flowers on the mountains and the plains. She is reassured life is still beautiful and good ... the chorus tells her she will have other relatives and family. The girl agrees to live where "her palace is built" - the new home she creates with her husband. Track #8, sounds Sephardic, the music is extraordinairy, very Meditarranean, with a Yiddish sound.This CD is very valuable because it preserves Albanian songs and music from the past. The CD is extraordinairy due to the voice of Silvana Licursi. Ms Licursi provides an artistic interpretation and quality to each song which few can equal. Erika Borsos (erikab93)"

Lovely

Athanasius the Portly | Central New York | 08/25/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Silvana Licursi, an Arbresh (Italo-Albanian) singer from the town Portocannone (Purtkanuni) in Campobasso province, has given the world a great gift in recording these traditional Arbresh selections. My only complaint is that the American packaging only provides the English translation of the lyrics, not the original Albanian.."