Search - Franco, Guitierrez, Cappella Cervantina :: Music of the Mexican Baroque

A SUPERB COLLECTION OF RARE MEXICAN BAROQUE

C A Davila | USC, ca United States | 05/21/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"MYSELF BEING A CELLIST, I HAVE ALWAYS SOUGHT OUT NEW AND UNUSUAL RECORDINGS OF EXCEPTIONAL CLASSICAL MUSIC. UPON ONE OF MY TRIPS HOME TO MEXICO CITY, I CAME ACROSS THIS REMARKABLE COLLECTION OF MEXICAN BAROQUE RECORDINGS AND WAS MOST IMPRESSED. THESE ARE PIECES WRITTEN DURING MEXICO'S VICEROYAL PERIOD (NUEVO ESPANA; NEW SPAIN) FROM SPANISH AND CASTIZO (FIRST GENERATION MEXICAN OF SPANISH DESCENT) COMPOSERS. THE SHEET MUSIC WAS FOUND IN ONE OF MEXICO'S MANY GLORIOUS BAROQUE CHURCHES, AND HAS BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE IN THIS TOP-QUALITY RECORDING BY WORLD-CLASS MUSICIANS AND SINGERS. THIS IS A 'MUST-HAVE' FOR THE TRUE CONNOISSEUR OF CLASSICAL MUSIC ;FOR THE ANGELIC CHORAL TONES AND OTHER-WORLDLY POLYPHONIC PHRASES ARE QUITE UNIQUE. IT IS REMINISCENT OF EARLY ITALIAN BAROQUE, BUT STILL VERY DISTINGUISHED IN ITSELF. HOPEFULLY THE WORLD WILL DISCOVER THE SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO CLASSICAL MUSIC THAT HAVE INDEED COME OUT OF MEXICO--UNDISCOVERED GEMS THAT DEMAND TO BE HEARD AND RECOGNIZED."