The 17th century was a golden age of Spanish culture, and the producers of this very fine recording attempt to illuminate some of its unfairly neglected musical corners. Their choice of repertoire is identified as “violin music”, and indeed, the focus on this oeuvre is relatively rare, since what we usually hear from this period are religious works for voices or instrumental keyboard pieces. The fact is, although there were violins and violin makers in Spain, as well as many outstanding composers and performers, for various reasons largely having to do with Spain’s geography and powerful church-influenced political and artistic culture, this tradition and its music have not been well preserved. So, the musicians of the period-instrument ensemble La Real Cámara–notably violinist Emilio Moreno–have reconstructed some works that conceivably would have been part of the musical scene during the 17th century, and in the process offer us an eminently listenable and musically satisfying program. Although in terms of the arrangements and the sounds of the instruments–violins, cello, gamba, bajón, guitar, archlute, harpsichord, organ–there’s nothing new here, Moreno’s baroque violin is lovely and he plays it with engaging style and personality. The other players just seem to be having fun, as if spending a lively evening entertaining a few guests.
Most of the program consists of works by little-known composers–Falconiero, Bruna, Botelero, Lorente, de Sola–but the highlights, the parts that make you pay extra attention, tend to come from two pieces by the famed Tomás Luis de Victoria. The disc concludes with three charming and really nifty folk-flavored selections by anonymous composers that leave you feeling good about what you’ve just heard–and wishing there might be more. The sound is somewhat cavernous but still allows us to hear everything in acceptable detail. Typical of Glossa, performing and production information is only in Spanish, with tediously wordy notes.
