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Title: * * * * * * 6 stars out of a possible 5
Review: This record was my first taste of the Renaissance and Baroque music from Latin America. The dates of the pieces range from roughly 1500 to 1750.The range of styles is quite broad - from pieces that sound very close to the masterpieces from Europe during those time periods, to pieces that have a very strong influence of native music.The pieces with a relatively 'traditional' sound include, e.g., the Masses by Padilla and Zipoli.In my feelings, the one thing that characterizes this music is a sense of the spirit dancing.Note as an obvious example tr. 6: Araujo's "Los Coflades de la Estleya" - but that sense of ecstatic dancing also comes through in the other pieces.The performances by Ex Cathedra are close to perfection.I also highly recommend Ex Cathedra's companion album "Moon, Sun & All Things".
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