Search - Bettina Hoffmann, Modo Antiquo :: Secular Songs & Dances from the Middle Ages (Box)

Absolutely First Rate Set

Thomas Gleim | Gaithersburg, MD United States | 02/17/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If, like me, you really enjoy listening to secular music of the Middle Ages, don't miss this great set. Brilliant Classics has made availabe this 6 disc set of a wide selection of attractive music (some of which you probably already have if you're an avid medieval collector) in truly spectacular performances by Modo Antiquo under Bettina Hoffmann. The set even has what I can only describe as "demonstration" quality sound (all recorded in the middle to late 90's).



Do you admire the work of David Monrow with the Early Music Consort of London? I always considered the work of that great musician as the high water mark for early secular music performance. But, after listening to this set, I have to confess that I actually admire these performances as much or more! I have a couple shelves full of CD's of this type of music, but this set, to me, is the finest one of the lot. It's imaginative, vital, energetic, thoroughly musical and really makes the old pieces come alive. You'll actually feel like you're back in a 13th century castle when you're listening to this. (All that actually survives in the old manuscripts of many of these pieces is the melody, so alot of work and imagination go into creating convincing performances.)



The set comes with an 8 page booklet containing two essays, one by the Bettina Hoffmann. (If I wanted to pick one very tiny nit, I would complain that no information is given on the sources of the pieces, but that's barely worth mentioning.)



The set includes the Carmina Burana (2 CD's), a collection called "Music of the Crusades" (2 CD's), and various dances (2 CD's). [...]



Really, this set will give you many, many hours of real enjoyment. And if you aren't familiar with the treasures of medieval songs and dance music, this is a great way to get started. Don't miss this fabulous recording!"

Energetic and Colorful

Leslie Richford | Selsingen, Lower Saxony | 04/12/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Secular Songs & Dances from the Middle Ages. Carmina Burana; Music for the Crusades; Dances from England, France and Italy. Performed by Modo Antiquo, dir. Bettina Hoffmann and Federico Maria Sardelli. 6 CD box. Brilliant Classics 92888. Total playing time approx 6 hrs 10 mins.



The Italian early music ensemble Modo Antiquo travels, so to speak, on two different rails: Under the directorship of Federico Maria Sardelli the group has produced a number of Vivaldi and Corelli recordings for labels such as Tactus, Opus 111 and cpo - recordings which have been highly praised by the critical press. Under the directorship of Bettina Hoffmann, Modo Antiquo here acquaints us with the fruits of its labours in the medieval repertoire during the 1990's. CD 6 ("Danca Amorosa") was recorded in 1994 and released soon after by the French label Opus 111. This is a superb recording. 16 Italian dances (unfortunately, the Brilliant Classics edition gives no sources) are here played on an endless list of historical instruments (recorder, gemshorn, chalumeau, crumhorn, fiddle, rebec, tromba marina, cittern, lute, portative organ, cornemuse, bagpipes, harp, darbukka, nakers, drums, bells, jew's harp ...); the recording was made in the Santa Maria Casa church, Vecchio, San Cascaiano, Italy, and produced by Klaus L. Neumann and Yolanta Skura, the whole being a co-production with the WDR, the state radio in Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany. Perhaps this explains the excellent sound quality and the audible professionality of this disc.



CDs 1 and 2 "Carmina Burana" were recorded next, in Florence, in the Oratorio di San Francesco Poverino. With Elena Cecchi Fedi, Lucia Sciannimanico, Paolo Fanciullacci and Marco Scavazza, a vocal quartet was added, assisted by F. M. Sardelli, Ugo Galasso, Gian Luca Lastraioli and Daniele Poli. The Carmina Burana is a collection of religious and secular songs from 13th century Benediktbeuren (Germany), and here a selection of these is sung with uncommon vivacity and energy; the drinking songs really do sound as though they were recorded in a medieval tavern, drunken cries and all. The instrumental accompaniment is extremely colourful; however, I had the feeling that the singing did not quite match up to the achievement of Catherine Bott and Michael George on the 4 CD Carmina Burana set by Philip Pickett and his New London Consort on Decca. The sound, though doubtless good, needed a little getting used to: the solo voices seemed rather too soft in comparison with the loud instrumental passages. The exceedingly energetic use of drums and bells may mean that this recording is not for those who have weak nerves; however, I can imagine that it would appeal to many young people who have recently begun to get interested in the medieval music scene. These two CDs were never available commercially elsewhere; they originally appeared as a free gift with an Italian music magazine.



In September 1999 the fifth CD was recorded, "French and English Instrumental Songs in the Middle Ages". As with "Danca Amorosa" there is here a wide range of medieval instruments to be heard; the dances are from manuscripts kept in London, Oxford and Paris, and despite their well-known names, I have not heard them on other medieval recordings before, which gives this box an additional repertoire value. The sound quality, although still good, does not match up to the brilliant recording on the sixth CD.



The newest recordings to be heard here were made in the year 2000. Again in Florence (Chiesa della Compagnia, Calenzano), Modo Antiquo recorded songs and instrumental pieces which are associated with the crusades. Most of these pieces are, as one would expect, by anonymous composers, but we do also learn of Thibaut de Champagne, Le Chastelain de Couci, Chardon de Croisilles de Reims, Huon d'Oisi, Guiot de Dijon, Riccardo di San Germano and Walter von der Vogelweide in addition to King Richard Lionheart whose "Ja nuns hons pris" opens the second of the two CDs. The soprano part here is sung by Santina Tomasello. Here, too, the arrangements are very colorful and reflect differing moods from sadness and wistfulness through to exaltation and joy. The first CD begins with a version of "Crudifigat omens" from the Carmina burana, but in an unparalleled arrangement: It is sung so loudly, and the drums and cymbals are crashed so aggressively, that I was almost afraid that my loudspeakers would be damaged. Thankfully, the other tracks of these two CDs are played much more sensitively, leaving a very positive impression in the end, even if I still think that some of the effects here are a trifle overdone.



The Brilliant Classics edition is offered at an extremely low price, and this should motivate everyone who is interested in medieval music to purchase immediately. The booklet is only in English and contains two essays but no texts whatsoever, so that anyone who wants to understand something of these admittedly difficult texts will be forced to look elsewhere. - The individual CDs are held in lightweight cardboard sleeves; the box containing the whole is stable and attractively printed."