A vital and beguiling CD, this disc presents music from 17th century Spain, realized for small ensemble by the virtuoso musicians of Chatham Baroque, artists-in-residence at Chatham College and WQED-FM Pittsburgh. The ensemble variously employs such instruments as violin, viola da gamba, Baroque guitar, theorbo, harp, and assorted percussion. Much of this music will sound comfortably familiar, especially the compositions by Gaspar Sanz, as they were used in Rodrigo’s Fantasia para un Gentilhombre. We also can easily hear the influence of this music on Rodrigo in the composition of his most famous work, the Concierto de Aranjuez. The music is so gracious that it’s hard to believe that many of these Spanish dances, from the category known as “bailes”, were considered lewd and erotic; the more noble “danzas” were performed with gestures and movements of the body that were considered “virtuous and manly”. Today, it would be hard to draw such a distinct line. As performed here, all of these pieces seduce the ear with gently swaying rhythms and undulating melodies capable of pleasantly distracting us from our modern cares. The recorded sound is from Dorian’s “home turf”, the legendary Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, which practically guarantees that it is superb.
