Other Reviews

Waits Music Company
The Waits of Southwark - Silence is Deadly

A very lively collection of Renaissance Dances from England, Ireland and Italy.

The instruments used on the CD contain the usual suspects—sackbutt, mandolins, recorders and such. But, a most wonderful treat is provided by Dean Bower, with his masterful performance of that ancient wind instrument, the belches. Listen to "Martin Said To His Man-Drinking Version" (track 12) , and you will quickly see why "bel canto" (operatic singing that cultivates beauty of tone) comes just before "belch" in my dictionary. It’s truly a most erudite eructation. And, yes, it was the reason I brought the CD. "Gosh, I hope this is what I think it is, I really need a good laugh today", I thought as I headed toward the check out counter at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) gift shop. "Whoa, what if ‘belches’ is just an ancient name for the bagpipe?", I worried to myself. I needn’t have fretted, belches really are played on the wind pipe, and unlike the bagpipe, it’s, well, a real gas to listen to. Sort of like Southwark goes South Park.

All of the other performers burst forth in joyous sound in a very talented manner on all the other 22 songs. In addition to the hoped for laugh, the rest of the CD provided very energetic music and was a great 50 minute escape from 21^st century (which was only 2 days old at the time of my purchase)

The group has also shown remarkably good taste in choosing "The Wedding Dance" as the cover pic for the CD. This Pieter Bruegel the Elder painting is one of the DIA’s most treasured works, and it’s one of my favorites to visit whenever I’m up on the 3^rd floor of the museum. Bruegel was not content to imitate the themes and styles of Italian artists, and found his artistic inspiration in life around him. So, too, the Waits of Southwark invest a similarly vigorous, vibrant quality to their work, and present these songs recorded during live performances.

Highly recommended. Hey, anyone who uses a DIA painting as their cover picture deserves a plug. Visit the Waits website

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Leonarda Records
Medieval Lady

I confess, I purchased this CD to listen to one tune only. I have often run across references to "O Deathe, Rock Me Asleep", in my Renaissance readings, and thought I should finally hear a version of it. The song is attributed to Anne Boleyn, probably written in the Tower in mid May 1536, while awaiting her execution. It is not clear whether George Boleyn, Anne’s brother, beheaded two days before his sister, helped with the composition. The two had often worked together on other entertainment in a happier vein.

I have read that the song in both words and composition is not really of an artistic quality, and was tempted to agree on first hearing this very doleful ditty. Despite the heartbreakingly lovely quality of the soprano singing the lyrics and the well played lute and bass accompanying the singer, the song at first hearing can seem to be quite wretched. However, I listened to it again and again, and really must disagree with those who would seek to sever all artistic merit as concerns the composition and wording of the piece. A sense of impending doom is clearly conveyed in the mournful march of the bass. The wording, well, this is a song about Death and Dying, so the subject rather determines the word choices. (I must add that ‘misery’, ‘destiny’ and ‘remedy’ are all pronounced to as to rhyme with die… die… die… die)

The beautiful soprano voice r-rolls most of the r’s, giving a r-rich r-r-regal construction to the song. It was customary never to say aught but good things about the monarch who had sentenced you to death while you were on the scaffold, and this song generally follows that edict. However, a few well placed digs are evident in such phrases as, "my guiltless ghost", and "that I should taste this misery". Altogether a most interesting work.

Good antidotes for this tune can be found in the light "Tower Hill", (if one does not dwell on what often took place on the Tower grounds), and the delightful musical selection "Trotto" would please those who cut their medieval musical teeth on the New World Renaissance Band. The album insert offers thumbnail biographical sketches of all the female composers. That prolific artist, "Anonymous", naturally, does not have a bio. But, Anonymous does contribute to the album, in particularly a very different baroque rendition of "Greensleeves". Overall Rating: R-r-recommended!

Also visit the Leonarda website.

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