español | français Medieval Renaissance Baroque Clasicism Opera  5 STARS All periods MEDIEVAL RENAISSANCE BAROQUE CLASICISM OPERA ** TOQUES EN EL TIEMPO ANONIMO Begoña Olavide Jubal JMPA004 2000 - 36:94 min. This is an enchanting disc. It transcends all categories, in that it could be reviewed not only as a disc of 'early music', but also of traditional music, improvisations, or contemporary music. The link between these diverse threads is Begoña Olavide's beautiful, honey-coloured voice and the sparkling sound of the psalteries (one 'butterfly-winged', the other a qânûn) built by Carlos Paniagua and played by Olavide herself. The instruments remind one of a cross between a harp and a Portuguese guitar, with their simultaneously incisive and delicate sound, beautifully and cleanly captured. The singer's own improvisational-compositional gifts may be heard in five of the disc's eleven tracks, and they show the clear influence of Arab-Andalusian, Spanish folk traditions and flamenco. The latter two may be heard to brilliant effect in A la flamenca, the first in the deeply affecting Yo le pregunté a la luna, to 15th and 16th century poetry. The genuine 'early music' on the disc includes Thibault de Navarre's Amors me fet and Maytines from the Cancionero de la Colombina, both for solo psaltery, and a magnificent (vocal) rendition of So el enzina from the Cancionero de Palacio. Traditional Arab-Andalusian music is also present on three tracks, sung with conviction, passion and a real feeling for the style. Olavide is a superb narrator, too: in the ballad Romance de Gerineldo, in Nana and Yo le pregunté a la luna she proves herself a consummate storyteller, or rather story-singer. Her diction is as clear as a bell, her sense of dramatic timing and narrative contrast impeccable. This recording is a real triumph, and I hope that more are on the way. IVAN MOODY ABOUT US | CONTRIBUTE   web map - home page - cover Legal warning Copyright 2003, Goldberg. info@goldberg-magazine.com