Mstation.org



Mstation Classical Reviews


Valid RSS pre Dec 04 reviews are here

Sat, 28 Feb 2009

Llibre Vermell

Llibre Vermell
Choeur de Chambre de Namur
ricercar.be

You will no doubt have come across some of the Belgian abbey beers, which are brewed to centuries old recipes and are smooth and beautiful. Such as their Christmas beer packs a fair wallop as well but you'd be silly to be taken by surprise as the taste, while still being smooth, has a certain heaviness.

From the same sort of place comes these three movements. Pilgrims came to this certain place and stayed around to perform vigils, and from to time they liked to have a bit of a jolly dance to loosen up as it were. Needless to say the Abbots and other people in charge were anxious that the dances be pious and respectable - bacchanalian revels would get everyone into trouble and would lead to a fair amount of time performing acts of contrition.

And so you might expect something a little watered down and insipid ... and it is true, it doesn't rock along. It has, however, a lovely spare beauty with a rich intermingling of voices that will send little bursts of warmth around your head. It is very nicely performed and recorded as well.

And now for a post-Christmas Christmas beer. (Baron K)

[] permanent link