The Renaissance Album (Windham Hill)

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Free Music Notes for The Renaissance Album (Windham Hill)

Free Music Review: A fine introduction to early music
Hit: 5 Stars

With this CD I think I've found a more recent replacement for that vinyl disc. It has some very well-known names in the early music field (e.g. Piffaro, the Baltimore Consort), various performers who tend to get the "new age" label, whether they want it or not :), and some people who, with all due respect, one wouldn't at all expect to see on an early music collection, such as Ann and Nancy Wilson, formerly of Heart, or slack key virtuoso Keola Beamer.

If you're hard core about authentic instrumentation, much of this album will set your teeth on edge--but IMHO, all the performers here acquit themselves very well indeed. High points for me were Lisa Lynne's performance of Monteverdi's "Si dolce e'l tormento," Michael Hedge's sprightly take on a de Mudarra fantasia, and Keola Beamer's breathtaking performance of Dowland's "If My Complaints Could Passions Move."

The CD's irritants for me are few: "My Thing Is My Own" is a one-joke song that way overstays its welcome, and the graphic artists at Windham Hill must've been trying to make the insert just as hard to read as they possibly could have!

If you're new to early music, give this CD a try. If you're heavily into it, you'll most likely still enjoy it, and you'll have something you can lend out to spread the habit to your friends--if we get enough people started, we can have the Waverly Consort playing stadiums instead of the latest boy band! :)

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