Search - Francesco Corbetta, Giovanni Felice Sances, Musica Fabula :: Giovanni Sances: 17th Century Music For Sopranos, Harp & Guitar - Musica Fabula

The Most Beautiful Things Have a Little Strangeness in Them

Kurt Keefner | Outside Washington, DC | 08/01/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album reached out and grabbed me when I first heard sound samples of it, and it has only grown on me since I purchased it. The combination of harp and guitar is very unusual, the guitar providing a powerful underpinning while the harp rides on top almost sounding like a human voice. In fact, there are instrumental versions of two of the songs, "Il Mio Cocente Ardore" and "Occhi, Occhi Miei Cari," where the harp takes the vocal part very effectively.



The original versions of these pieces are among my favorites on the disc. "Il Mio" is sung by Sarah Pillow all in her lower register, until she reaches up for passion one time at the end. "Occhi, Occhi" build to a climax four times with an engaging melody and exciting vocal effects.



A couple of other tracks are just as good, especially those with both sopranos singing, which are just ravishing. I didn't like a lot of the album at first because some tunes weren't especially pretty or because I didn't "get" them. I have come to like a few; others I have not, but the album overall is definitely worth having. Of the albums by this composer that I have checked out, this is the best."