 
Fiesta Criolla (Bonus Dvd)
Average Rating: 5.0 Total Reviews: 3
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 On: 2005-06-09
Firstly, full agreement with the review immediately below.
The disc probably should perhaps have been entitled Chavarria - selected works, since this otherwise unknown native Bolivian composer (1688-1719) doesnt appear to ever have had a disc in his name yet dominates the tracklisting. Though one can understand Garrido wanting to celebrate an "event", a "context", rather than a single composer, along the lines that Paul McCreesh is perhaps best known for in his San Rocco, Venetian Coronation, recordings and so on. Garrido has of course done this kind of "context" disc before, as have other artists in the K617 labels Les Chemins du Baroque series.
Chavarrias boistrous Spanish settings consist of villancicos, salves, and a bullfight. They are complimented by Latin motets from Flores, Guzman, and anonymous. As usual in K617s full price releases (though not reissues) the documentation is superb - essays in French English and Spanish and original texts with French translations. Generous timing at 7819. Plus the free DVD of course.
On: 2005-05-07
This recording aims to recapture something of the exuberance of the musical celebrations surrounding the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in La Plata (now Sucre) in early 18th century Bolivia [complete track listing given at the end of this review]. Much of the programme focuses on works by the talented (but hitherto largely neglected) Roque Jacinto de Chavarria (1688-1719); these are complemented with pieces by his [New-World] contemporaries, some better known (such as Juan de Araujo), others not. Listeners new to this repertory may be struck by the archaic style of some pieces, though they make sense in the context of contemporary Iberian music (in particular the villancicos of Juan Frances de Iribarren [1698-1767]). Other pieces, in contrast, are more typical of the Italian Baroque style, such as Chavarrias Salve regina Parajillos madrugad! [track 13].
The performances by Ensemble Elyma (supplemented with the ensemble Ars Longa de La Havane and the Cor Vivaldi, Els Petits Cantors de Catalunya) are outstanding - indeed, I believe this is one of the finest recordings of New World Baroque music currently available. Most pieces are given a suitably colouristic interpretation - voices, strings [bowed and plucked], wind instruments [loud and soft] and occasionally percussion - as it seems was most probably the case in the original performances (interested readers should consult literature by Robert Stevenson and Steven Barwick etc). The programme also includes some fascinating dance-songs taken from the manuscripts of Don Baltasar Martinez Companon (a pioneering ethnomusicologist and also Bishop of Trujillo, 1779-89), which bear the hallmarks of music which can be heard to this day in South America. Whether such pieces would have been as orchestrated as they are here is perhaps a matter for conjecture, although it is impossible not to be carried away by the brilliance of Garridos interpretations! [The original manuscripts are accompanied by Companons own watercolour illustrations, which depict musicians - sometimes native Indians, sometimes Creoles or Africans - in small groups, playing a mixture of Western instruments (like harp and guitar) and traditional ones such as the quijada and the cajita].
The CD also includes a free DVD with extracts from a concert of this programme, and an interview with Gabriel Garrido. Highly recommended!
Track listing:
1. Todo el mundo en general - (?)Francisco Corra de Arauxo
2. Angeles, al facistol! - anon. villancico, Sucre
3. Paraninfos alados (Salve) - Chavarria
4. Tota pulchra es, Maria - Andres Flores (1690-1754)
5. Morenita con gracia es Maria - (?) Araujo
6. A la flor del Alba - Chavarria
7. Alegria, risa, ha! (Salve) - Chavarria
8. Alegrese la tierra - Chavarria
9. La matutina estrella - anon. Bolivian, trans. Melchior Mercado
10. Cachua serranita - anon. (Martinez Companon manuscripts)
11. Maria todo es Maria - anon trans. Amedee Frezier (Chili, c.1713) and Flores
12. Sigueritos risuenos - Chavarria
13. Parajillos madrugad (Salve) - Chavarria
14. Sub tuum praesidium - Blas Tardio de Guzman (c.1695-1762)
15. Oigan las fiestas de toros - Chavarria
16. Baile de toritos - anon. trans. Mercado
17. a) verset du 8e ton (organ) - Martin i Coll
b) Toquen Alarma - Chavarria
18. Salve Regina (a 8) - (?)Guzman
19. Lanchas para bailar - anon., Martinez Companon manuscripts
by: Anonymous On: 2003-04-23
Fiesta Criolla, is a true representation of a Latino-American "party" that reveals the religious spirits the Colonial period had. It truly makes you feel as you were living it.
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