Medieval [Original recording remastered]

Medieval [Original recording remastered]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Remastered Maiden Album from the Spanish Heavy Metal Quintet; Originally Released in 1998.

Tracks:

O vis aeternitatis - Sequentia
Nunc aperuit nobis
Quia ergo femina mortem instruxit
Cum processit factura digiti Dei
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Ave Maria, O auctrix vite
Spiritus Sanctus vivificans vite
O ignis spiritus Paracliti
Caritas habundat in omnia
O virgia mediatrix
O virdissima virga, Ave
Instrumental
O Pastor Animarum
O tu suavissima virga
O choruscans stellarum
O nobilissima viriditas

Amazon.com

Although Hildegard von Bingen's music has been around for 900 years--and recordings of her music for decades--it seems that only now, as we approach the turn of another millennium, the time is right for the world to pay attention. In this first-rate traversal of her music--the most popular of several volumes released by the early-music ensemble Sequentia--we hear music that resulted from Hildegard's legendary visions, which often included song texts that she subsequently collected and dispensed to her religious community of women. As rendered here by the voices and instruments of Sequentia, her music invokes an unobscured sense of mystery, conforming to Hildegard's belief that music was our bridge to the harmonies of the heavens. Whether or not we're experiencing that "heavenly harmony" here, the simple, direct, beautifully turned melodies, sung by pure, finely tuned, warm-colored women's voices, often eerily accompanied by an instrumental drone, is heavenly enough. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Simply awe inspiring and amazing.......2007-05-20

One would have to listen to this music to understand the power it will hold over you. Ethereal and almost eery, yet full of power, grace and triumph, this will be a mainstay in your collection. The only thing resembling it that the mass public would be aware of is Gregorian Chant, although this is it's own beast and so much more. It's not expensive, buy it and see for yourself.

Ecstatic Music, Ecstatically Performed........2007-05-13

I had first heard this performance of St. Hildegard of Bingen's "Canticles of Ecstasy" on sound cassette and loved it.

The music is sublime. The female voices are heavenly, without a hint of sentimentality.

When you listen to "Canticles of Ecstasy" you will know how this medieval nun and composer felt about things.

Caution. They could make a believer of you.

canticles of Ecstay.......2007-03-23

This is a very good CD I highly recomend it if you love chant. I am glad to have it in my collection.

Hildegard von Bingen: Canticles of Ecstacy.......2006-07-25

This CD will transport you to another space and truly put you in touch with the sublime! If you are a massage therapist,I recommend it for use during your sessions. Anyone can use it as part of his or her meditative spiritual practice regardless of your particular faith.

Devine Music For Tranquil Hearts.......2006-02-23

I have searched through many composers, performers and albums... in search of this one sound. It only existed in my heart and mind until Hildegard von Bingen's work was recorded by this talented group. This music makes you feel like you are floating on your back - in the ocean - staring at the moon.

Average customer rating:

Great!!!
good music
BEST CD I'VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR
Incredible rendition of American sacred songs, by a singer of such music
Glorious

Gloryland
Anonymous 4 , Darol Anger , and Mike Marshall
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

American Angels
Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols - Anonymous 4 with Andrew Lawrence-King
1000: A Mass for the End of Time / Anonymous 4
A Portrait Of Anonymous 4
The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen

ASIN: B000FWHVGE
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Tracks:

I'm On My Journey HOme
An Address For All (Instrumental)/Like Noah's Weary Dove
Wayfaring Stranger
Wayfaring Stranger (Instrumental)
Where We'll Never Grow Old
Ecstacy
The Wagoner's Lad
Mercy-Seat
Return Again
The Lost Girl
Palmetto
Pleading Saviour
Merrick
The Shining Shore
Saint's Delight
Just Over In The Gloryland
You Fair And Pretty Ladies
Parting Friends/Wayfaring Stranger (Instrumental)
Green Pastures

Amazon.com

Having left medieval chant and somewhat later polyphony behind and moved, musically, across the Atlantic with their last CD (American Angels), the women of Anonymous 4 are still exploring. For their move up a few centuries, their impeccable tonal purity remains, but a decidedly American twang has been added to some of the folksier, Southern mountain-based tunes and revival songs. It's as accurate and enchanting as everything else they do. Their sense of history, the when and where of the music they perform, manages to avoid academic stuffiness: this music communicates. Hymns, ballads, and revival songs make up Gloryland, and the 4 have added superb instrumentalists--Darol Anger and Mike Marshall on fiddles, mandolins, and guitars--to the mix on about half the selections. Some of the songs are begun in simple solfege* (fa, sol, la, mi, etc.) and then are sung with the actual text. Some are presented as duets or solos, and "I'm on My Journey Home" is sung by all four women; some are simple, others delightfully rich harmonically. Irresistible. --Robert Levine

* Often called "shape-note" singing because the tones were frequently notated in differently shaped symbols for teaching purposes (fa = triangle, sol = circle, etc.).

Customer Reviews:

Great!!!.......2007-03-26

Amazing is the word for this record more than Gloryland. I have been touched by the lyrics and the voices. Coming from a different cultural background allows to understand very well the root information valid for everyone in the songs, hymns, etc they have selected for this record.
I will wait for the next record!

good music.......2007-03-12

This kind of music is so cool, I could listen to it all the time.
I love it.

BEST CD I'VE BOUGHT THIS YEAR.......2007-03-08

THIS HAS TO BE THE BEST CD I'VE HEARD THIS YEAR.WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO PURCHASE MORE OF THEIR CD'S.HOPE TO HEAR THEM IN CONCERT HERE IN LOUISANA SOON. BEST WISH'S JOHN

Incredible rendition of American sacred songs, by a singer of such music.......2007-02-15

I've been a fan of Anonymous 4 for years, and have seen them in concert. I also sing many of the songs included on the CD on a regular basis, for they come from a nineteenth century American, a cappella shaped-note songbook titled The Sacred Harp. Anonymous 4's haunting renditions turn these gritty, sometimes harsh harmonies into ethereal beauties, while taking away none of the intense essence that is Sacred Harp. A southern singer once said to me that Sacred Harp is "heavy metal music for country folk." Well, Anonymous 4 have taken that "heavy metal" and refined it into purest silver tones--silver tones that coat the common-metal core so important to this music, for it was and is music of the common people. If you enjoy shape-note music, early American music, Anonymous 4, or simply crave something different, I highly recommend this CD to you.

Glorious.......2007-02-06

This is an amazing recording. I love it. Gotta say that it trransports me....without ever being cloying.

Average customer rating:

Hyponotic music from an early great composer
One of my favorite albums of all time.
Luminous
Heavenly
Short, but still the very best of Hildegard of Bingen. Buy It.

Feather on the Breath of God

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Kirkby, Emma | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Hildegard von Bingen: Canticles of Ecstasy
Hildegard von Bingen: Voice of the Blood
Luminous Spirit
Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen
The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen

ASIN: B000002ZGD
Release Date: 1993-09-01

Tracks:

Sequentia de Sancto Maximo: Columba aspexit
Ymnus de Sancta Maria: Ave, generosa
Sequentia de Spiritu Sancto: O ignis spiritus
De Sancto Ruperto: O ierusalem
De sancto Euchario sequentia: O Euchari
De Sancta Maria: O viridissima virga
Sequentia de Sancto Dysibodo: O presul vere civitatis
De Undecim Milibus Virginbus: O Ecclesia

Amazon.com essential recording

This is the record that started the Hildegard craze back in 1982--and you need only listen to Emma Kirkby glide and soar through Columba aspexit (the opening hymn) to understand why. Gothic Voices performs the music very simply, either alternating soloists and unison choir over a drone or using a single unaccompanied voice. The singers render Hildegard's extravagant poetic imagery and melody not with the rhythmically fluid, ecstatic approach favored by Sequentia, but with equalist rhythm and a calm, meditative quality. Gothic Voices' straightforward approach is less likely to send you into a rapturous trance than is Sequentia's, but in the hands of such fine singers as Kirkby, Margaret Philpot, and Emily van Evera, Hildegard's extraordinary texts and melodies are captivating--and clear enough to linger in the memory as melodies rather than just sensations. This record is still Hyperion's bestselling title by far--try it and find out why. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Hyponotic music from an early great composer.......2007-03-10

The Abbess Hildegard of Bingen wrote hypnotic, haunting music a thousand years ago (she lived from 1098-1179). The notes from this CD state that: "This recording draws upon Hildegard's large collection of music and poetry. . .which she continued to enlarge and enrich throughout her life. It contains some of the finest songs ever written in the Middle Ages. . . . The songs are conceived on a large--sometimes a massive--scale; it is in superabundance that Hildegard found herself both as poetess and composer." Hers is a very different style of music from what we are used to today. And the voices of Emma Kirkby and "Gothic Voices" (a group) appear to capture the spirit and soul of this music well.

Kirkby has a crystalline clear and clean voice. In "Columba aspexit," Kirkby and supporting voices paint a musical tapestry that is hypnotic (a common phrase that can be used across the songs). In "Ave, generosa," Kirkby sings the hymn solo and without any instrumental backing. An enchanting piece. Three tenors from "A Gothic Voice" essay "O ignis spiritus." Their voices meld together well and their take on this has a spiritual element. A final example (no need to mention each of the cuts on the CD). . . . "O Jerusalem" features both Kirkby and some members of "A Gothic Voice." The voices play off one another well. Another nicely done work.

This is a good introduction to ancient but interesting music. Kirkby once again shows her skills off to good effect, with an assist from "A Gothic Voice."

One of my favorite albums of all time........2007-03-06

This is the best Hildegard von Bingen recording I have heard. It features the marvelous English soprano, Emma Kirkby.

This is an older recording. I first bought the album on vinyl. I bought it again on CD. Now it is in heavy rotation on my ipod. This is simply one of the best pieces of vocal music ever recorded, any age, any genre.

Enjoy.

Luminous.......2006-11-27

Landmark recording of the early Kirkby glorying in this beautiful music. Ears that can do East and West may like to sample 'Shruti' by Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay - a similarly evocative and remarkable recording.

Heavenly.......2006-11-15

This CD is a Masterpiece. I often play this before I go to sleep. If you want a CD that will totally relax you and clear your sole then you can't go past this great piece of work. The music and voices are Heavenly. I really admire Hildgard and her work. She was very ahead of her time. I very highly recommend this CD to anyone who loves beauty.

Short, but still the very best of Hildegard of Bingen. Buy It........2005-12-20

'A feather on the breath of God' is a performance of eight 'Sequences and Hymns' by Abbess Hildegard of Bingen' which has been lauded by Gramophone Magazine as a 'Best of' in the year it was released.

I have heard two other performances of Hildegard of Bingen compositions and to my amateur ear, these are the best. With soloist Emma Kirkby plus the instrumental backup, they are certainly more interesting than the a capella treatment by the Anononymous 4.

Very highly recommended.

Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen

Average customer rating:

A very different style of Hildegard
ONE WORD- 'AWSOME"
Very different. Hauntingly beautiful
"Every Element Has A Sound" ~ Heavenly Visions Of A Medieval Mystic
SUPERB MODERN CLASSIC

Vision: The Music of Hildegard von Bingen
Richard Souther , Emily van Evera , and Sister Germaine Fritz
Manufacturer: Angel Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Hildegard von Bingen: Canticles of Ecstasy
Feather on the Breath of God
Hildegard von Bingen: Voice of the Blood
Hildegard von Bingen: Heavenly Revelations
Luminous Spirit

ASIN: B000002SL6
Release Date: 1994-11-01

Tracks:

Praise For The Mother
Only The Devil Laughed
Vision
Song To The Mother
The Living Light (Instrumental)
Wherever
For The Virgin
For The Creator
This Honorable Fame
The Anointing (Instrumental)
For The Trinity
The Chalice
Divine Love
The Flower Gleams
From This Wicked Fall
Living Fountain
Vision: Full Length

Amazon.com

"Vision--The Music of Hildegard von Bingen"? Make that "Hildegard--the Dance Remix." (Yes, it has been used on the dance floor of at least one New York City nightclub.) What else can you call it when Richard Souther takes the stark, ecstatic plainchant of the 12th-century abbess and adds heavily produced electronic trance-and-dance tracks? Souther's additions aren't bad in themselves--they are a bit New Age-y, yet danceable in a druggy 3:00-a.m. kind of way--but slather them over Hildegard's spare, intense chant melodies and the effect is perverse, if not just silly. Don't blame poor Emily van Evera--she is a fine interpreter of Hildegard, and EMI simply asked her to record some unaccompanied solo tracks of the abbess's music and send in the tapes; she had no idea what was going to be done with them until this disc came out with her name on it. This shows up in the final product: the gently fluid pulse van Evera applied to Hildegard's music (which would make perfect sense in the a cappella performance she thought she was giving) feels completely disconnected from the rigid rhythms inherent in Souther's electronic accompaniment. Now, there are a number of customer reviews, below, from listeners who like this title a great deal--have a look at them, check out the sound clips, and by all means get this title if you're interested. But, if you're curious about Hildegard, go to the recording that made her famous eight centuries after her death: A Feather on the Breath of God. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

A very different style of Hildegard.......2007-01-30

This CD isn't quite the shining example of Hildegard's music, but it isn't dissapointing either. The new-agey music and the chanting go well together, but at times the mix is a little akward, and it is those moments when it seems that the vocals are just stamped on top of the music that takes away from this album. Otherwise, the music is pretty rich and conjures epic and heavenly images. I'd have to side with the 'purists' on this one: if you're a stickler for authentic sounding Hildegard music, go for the other albums such as Luminous Spirit because this one might come across as a little weird.

ONE WORD- 'AWSOME".......2006-12-15

I have been a fan of music since before I was born it seems- I have almost all of her music- but this is the star on the night sky- people keep trashing this album /cd- I think this is the best of her visions/music and if you want to be swept away on clouds of tone and dance with angels of light then BUY this cd- I love to darken the house , light the candles and let this one spin again and again- listen closely to " for the virgin' it will make you want to play this over and over again-also this entire cd was recorded in the catacombs- how spiritual is that, music/thought/words/visions from years turned to dust and stone- may this cd bring you back to a time when the world was innocent and gentle/have played this along with Enigma and people can not get enough of this cd!!!!!!!!!!

Very different. Hauntingly beautiful.......2006-03-01

I bought VISION, THE MUSIC OF HILDEGARD VON BINGEN without even hearing it first. I couldn't resist the album's cover art and the premise of recording the chants of a 12th century nun with modern original scores. I was delightfully surprised at how well the experiment works. The tracks are absolutely beautiful and haunting. In listening to one of the chants accompanied by an almost jarring drum beat, I felt as if I were dropped deep into a dense African jungle where a safari of large powerful natives are escorting small white hooded nuns to some mysterious lost city. A very different, very intriguing, very fine work.

"Every Element Has A Sound" ~ Heavenly Visions Of A Medieval Mystic.......2006-01-29

Hildegard Von Bingen (1098-1179), 12th century Benedictine nun, abbess and mystic wrote some of the most heavenly spiritual chants, psalms and canticles in the history of the Catholic Church. Compositions that are so unique and universal in appeal that they were embraced by the 'New Age Movement' more enthusiastically then they were originally by her own Church.

Similiar yet subtly different from the lofty, remote gregorian chants sung in the monastery, the music of Hildegard is much more accessible. Her experience of the 'Divine Mysteries' is conveyed in more emotional and earthy tones, thus linking the higher aspirations of the soul with the passionate nature of the human heart.

'Vision' was performed and recorded within the stone walls of St. Andrew's Church in Toddington, England, an almost perfect location to capture the medieval atmosphere of Hildegard's compositions. The female voices involved in this project are a sharp and welcome contrast to the all male gregorian choirs most of us are more familiar with.

Truly a mystical musical experience has been captured on these 17 exquiste tracks. For the spiritual seeker in all of us!

SUPERB MODERN CLASSIC.......2005-10-26

SOARING, ETHEREAL voices are followed by haunting, vaguely Middle Eastern new age sound. HILDEGARD meets ENIGMA. It works. The purists make no room for this kind of interpretation of Hildegard but I remind you that the Louvre built a separate museum to house the Impressionist art not because they were so valued but because they did not consider it serious art and would not put it under the same roof with the classics. Time made buffoons of them. Listen to the sound clips and judge for yourself.

Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection

Average customer rating:

Rennaissance music at it's finest!
a voice teacher and early music fan
A good sampler of New London Consort's work
Excellent renditions of lively 'old music'.
A Treasure of the Time Period

Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Music for a Medieval Banquet
English Renaissance Music
Music Of The Crusades
Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music of the Early 15th Century
Panorama: Dances of the Renaissance

ASIN: B00000428D
Release Date: 1996-07-23

Tracks:

Dum pater familias
La Bouree
The Sylvan And Oceanic Delights Of Posilipo: Gagliarda
Quen a Virgen ben servira
Bransles de Villages
Carmina Burana: Katerine collaudemus
The Sylvan And Oceanic Delights Of Posilipo: La scesa de' Pastori dal Monte
Orientis partibus
Volte
Llibre Vermell: Stella Splendens
Carmina Burana: Tempus est iocundum
The Sylvan And Oceanic Delights Of Posilipo: Ballo de Cigni
Carmina Burana: Bache, bene venies
Lux optata claruit
Ballet Incerti
Non e gran causa
Passo e mezzo - Saltarello Giorgio

Customer Reviews:

Rennaissance music at it's finest!.......2007-06-29

This was my first Renaissance music album and the broad styles of several composers were very well represented, especially Michael Pretorius, probably the most well-known composer of his time. The tonal quality sparkles and the latin language comes alive (along with English translation in the included booklet); be prepared for an aural "feast" of some of the more eclectic music from the Renaissance period!

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-02-04

To quote from the accompanying booklet seems to be in order to start this review: "This collection attempts to wipe the dust from some old ideas and restore music from the Middle Ages and Renaissance to its roots deep in the human soul.........What you're listening to on this disc is not the domain of museums, but the music of the people,born of faith and the love of song and dance".
This is a varied group of works, some dances, some strictly instrumental and some accompanied vocal.
The role of dancing, as you might suspect, was enormously important in this era. 'Le Bouree' showcases the dance music of the composer Michael Praetorius. The 'Bransles de Villages' is of French origin and features 2 violins, 2 violas, a cello, a great bass viol, hurdy-gurdy and 2 lutes. 'La scesa de Pastori dal Monte' is an Italian dance by Andrea Ansalone. Another dance written by Michael Praetorious was the 'Volte' which actually involved 4 short dances. It was considered not respectable because of the close contact between the dancers.
The strictly instrumental songs are : 'Dum pater familias' is called a pilgrim song, and it was religious in nature. And, of course, all the dance songs are instrumental.
The vocally oriented songs are: 'Quen a Virgin ben servira' is a song taken from a collection of songs about the miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary.-Three of the songs are from the famous 'Carmina Burana' manuscript.- 'Orientis partibus' is from the 'Feast of fools'which was a feast held by the church itself in which the status of the church herarchy was reversed as inferior clergy assumed the role of their superiors.-'Stella Splendours' is another pilgrim song; this song was sung by pilgrims who went to worship as the Shrine of the Virgin at Montserrat.

I always trust the quality of a CD when Philip Pickett and the New London Consort are involved. This album is very interesting, but I would hope that this would be classified as the more "pop" type music of the period. Also, I don't think that I personally would call it early music, as is indicated in the accompanying booklet. Today that term brings to mind Monteverdi, Cavalli, Palestrina, the Scarlatti's, up to and including Handel and Bach etc.. Just a personal reaction on my part. This is a very well put together disc.

A good sampler of New London Consort's work.......2006-12-20

Although there's nothing special about this disc as a compilation, it does provide a value-priced sampling of 17 tracks from the New London Consort's excellent recorded work. Given that so many of their recordings are difficult to find on CD at a reasonable price, and that one of my personal favorites ("Bache bene venies", from their masterful 4-CD recording of the Carmina Burana) is included here, I'd recommend this CD as a great place to start while you search for the original releases.

Excellent renditions of lively 'old music'........2005-11-23

'Sinners & Saints' by Philip Pickett and the New London Consort is just a bit too ambitious with their subtitle, 'The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection' as I find it hard to believe that 70 minutes can be the ultimate anything on 500 years of history. This is especially true since they seem to focus a lot more on the sinners than the saints, as there is virtually no liturgical music here. But, since there are so many good recordings of medieval liturgies, we aren't missing much.

This is really the sort of thing you would expect to hear from a travelling troupe of minstrals, but not from a solo artist, as practically every performance involves several instruments and voices.

Some tracks will sound especially familiar, as they are very similar to Carl Orff's 'Carmina Burana', inspired by medieval texts.

Compared to many recordings of music from Shakespeare's time, this collection is superior and well worth the investment.

A Treasure of the Time Period.......2005-08-11

I bought this CD with a children's history class in mind. We are studying the Dark Ages to the Rennaisance. I was delighted to hear the variety of selections which span the spectrum of genres during this period of history. My children and I have been listening to it in the car as well as at home for the simple enjoyment of the music. It will be exciting to present these pieces to my class as I feel it is a very accurate display of the cultures, instrumentation, languages, and styles of the Middle Ages. I am a proffesional musician and thoroughly enjoy most types of music so it wasn't hard to get me interested but I was surprised to hear my eight-year-old and five-year-old sons asking to hear this CD. The former child said it made him feel "important" to listen!!

Average customer rating:

Mideval Metal
Puts you in the mood!
A Perfect Sampling of Corvus Corax
=) Stomp Along With These Medieval Minstrels!
Wonderful and Unique...

Best Of Corvus Corax
Corvus Corax
Manufacturer: Dancing Ferret
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Venus Vina Musica
Illuminate
Renaissance
Signum
IV: Ozymandias

ASIN: B0007ZEOWI
Release Date: 2007-07-16

Tracks:

Neva Cengi Harbi
Avanti
In Taberna
Suam Elle Ires
Cheiron
Filii Neidhardi
Ballade De Mercy
La Douce
Palaestinalied
Douce Dame Joliet
Mille Anni Passi Sunt
Saltarello (live)
Platerspiel (live)
Chou Chou Sheng (video track - live)
Lasse, Grant Doucor

Album Description

A best-of collection from one of Europe's most popular medieval bands. 13 tracks from 1993 to the 2003, including two live tracks and a CD-ROM video track of a live performance. Period pieces with a plethora of pipes, plenty of percussion, and an abundane of attitude.

Customer Reviews:

Mideval Metal.......2007-05-12

They bill themselfes as "the Rolling Stones of the Middle Ages", but they are more like Motley Crue. Definitely Celtic, but high-energy thrashing, not beautiful. You've gotta like it hard get into this. I own a couple of their albums and listen occasionaly. For something lighter, try "Faun".

Puts you in the mood!.......2006-10-07

This "Best of" CD offers a nice sampling of Corvus Corax's music. It is an energetic jump into the Medieval or Reniassance period with some muscle. Men chanting...who aren't monks. I'll leave it at that.
There is also a good (live) version of "Saltarello" included.
If you are a fan of "Dead Can Dance" this music will be in like kind but on speed. If you don't know "Dead Can Dance", for Heaven's sake, go look them up!

A Perfect Sampling of Corvus Corax.......2006-06-01

Having followed this band's European success for more than a decade, I am thrilled that we finally have access to the music in the United States via Noir Records.

The essence: Corvus Corax are an example of the 'other side' of Medieval Music. These musicians are not concerned with courtly or noble odes to romanticized and faux Chivalry. They are bawdy, loud, and raw. Their live antics and energy surpasses most heavy metal acts without the contrivances associated with that genre.

They make their own costumes, design their own instruments, and have played with such reknown orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic. They are not simply a "Faire" band but in fact are complex and professional musicians. Not the tired piping ballads and frame drum repetition of so many bands claiming an ancient lineage - Corvus Corax is also keenly aware of the Hellenistic and Middle Eastern influences which helped form not only European music, but also touched European culture.

This CD is a perfect way to get a broad sampling of their diverse style. You will also hear many tracks on this disc which are popular at the live shows of Corvus Corax.

Even if you are like me, and own most of their discography, I recommend this CD. It is helpful to play for folks who see my T-Shirt or hear me mention the band, and ask, "What do they sound like?"

They sound like the markets, woods and hills of a time long past. They are testimony to the complexity and importance of music, arts, and the live venue not only today but also in misty antiquity.

=) Stomp Along With These Medieval Minstrels! .......2006-05-23

About the Band:
Corvus Corax, whos name means raven, is a German medieval band formed in the late 1980s that is best known for their reliance on traditional instruments and interestingly enough appearance! Most of their songs feature extensive bagpipe and drums. Considering themselves street minstrels of old, Corvus Corax are known to make secret unannounced appearances at European music festivals such as Germany's annual Wave-Gotik-Treffen, where they have always been a fan favorite.

About the Album:
This is a best of album, and as such it really is the best way to introduce people not only to Corvus Corax, but also the medieval genre of music. Though popular in gothic and industrial music scenes in which electronic music is usually a staple, this album focuses on traditional instruments and vox. Fans of folk and medieval (think Renaissance Faire) music or general fantasy atmospheres will love this album.

Recommended Tracks:
- Avanti
- Ballade de Mercy
- Douce Dame Joliet
- Mille Anni Passi Sunt
- Filii Neidhardi

One note on the Ballade de Mercy ... though the song is "work-safe" in the United States due to language barrier issues, the old French lyrics are not only silly, but a bit risqué (in an extremely good way, I assure you - I can't help but laugh and sing along).

I've bought this album twice from amazon! The first time for myself, and the second time for a friend of mine who tends to listen to 80s pop music and Spanish music. She loved this album, and normally she finds my taste in music to be too "dark". Corvus Corax are not dark, but just pure fun. I honestly think anybody who enjoys the "feel-good" that accompanies fast paced festival music will instantly fall in love with Corvus Corax.

For years they were a European secret, but within a year of performing in Pennsylvania (2005), more of their albums are starting to make their way to North America. Similarly, they are now being talked about more at clubs. This album will illustrate the growing interest in this bad. I honestly have a hard time not wanting to smile, stomp, and dance any time I hear these crazy minstrels.

Similar Artists:
- Estampie
- In Extremo
- Qntal

Wonderful and Unique..........2005-11-16

I was forunate to see Corvus Corax appear at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair, earlier this year. I really enjoyed their performance. Sometimes live music is more enchanting than listening to a CD in your car. That is NOT the case with this CD. It is absolutely captivating. I love the medieval flavor of this music. The vocals are used as an instrument in and of themselves, too. The music of Corvus Corax is timeless! It will be just a wonderful, 10 years down the line. I highly recommend it.

Average customer rating:

This is truly bad stuff! Zero rating...if they would let me.
Mediaeval Baebes - Gorgeous, sensual sound!
Beauty is in the ear of the belistener
Deep, wild and wonderfully wyrd!
Temptasyon!

Mirabilis
Mediaeval Baebes
Manufacturer: Nettwerk Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Goth | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

The Rose
Mistletoe and Wine: A Seasonal Collection
Undrentide
Worldes Blysse
Salva Nos (Save Us)

ASIN: B0009VBU5Y
Release Date: 2005-07-19

Tracks:

Star Of The Sea
Trovommi Amor
Temptasyon
San'c Fuy Belha Ni Prezada
All For Love Of One
The Lament
Musa Venit Carmine
Kilmeny
Lhiannan Shee
Umlahi
Cittern Segue
Return Of The Birds
Tam Lin
Scarborough Fayre
Come My Sweet
Mark Hur Var Skugga
The Worlds Fareth As A Fantasye
Away

Amazon.com

On Mirabilis, the Mediaeval Baebes drill even deeper (and wider) into their chorale sound, making music with ancient roots and timeless designs. An octet of Englishwomen with a penchant for dressing up in flouncy gothic gowns just this side of Victoria's Secret, they've released several albums mining medieval hymns and plainsong. They're still at it here, matching obscure Latin, Gaelic, and old English texts (along with the odd Robert Burns poem) to music that is often newly composed but sounds as if it came out of a Dark Ages court or monastery. But without ever playing instruments more modern than the violin, they bring a modern arranger's head to tunes that float on percussion, recorder, concertina, cittern, hurdy-gurdy, and strings. Under the musical direction of founder Katherine Blake, the harmonies are richer and more complex than on previous Baebes discs. Emily Ovenden's "Temptasyon" flies with soaring three-part harmony and lush accompaniment of strings, both modern and ancient. The Baebes get a little arty on a horror-house reading of "Tam Lin," and they perhaps had to cover "Scarborough Fayre" at some point. But they more than make up for it with the serene "Star of the Sea." This is one time you won't mind having someone get Mediaeval on you. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews:

This is truly bad stuff! Zero rating...if they would let me........2007-07-16

I cannot believe how this "ensemble" has managed to pull the wool over so many. This stuff is truly awful. In addition to the poor singing, the voices have been synthesized and pasteurized through an electronic equilizer -- just as well, it probably actually IMPROVED their gawd awful lack of vocal talent.

I must give credit though to the mastermind behind the marketing in managing to sell this garbage to the masses -- pretty cover pictures of pretty girls...a clever name...a nonsense hybrid of new age garbage with medieval music.

It really is amazing how a photo of pretty women and the word "baebes" can fool so many into buying this stuff.

Mediaeval Baebes - Gorgeous, sensual sound! .......2007-01-03

I first heard this album last year when my cousin asked for it for Christmas. I hadn't heard of them before, and was immediately hooked.
Their style of overlapping sounds & phrasing was so captivating that I went on to purchase more of their albums, although this one is still my
favorite.

I've given several copies as gifts to other people, and everyone that I've introduced to their music has enjoyed it and found something new to comment on.

A must for your CD collection!

Beauty is in the ear of the belistener.......2006-12-06

I hate to step away from the crowd, but I liked the older stuff better. There's no fanatic like a new convert and I'm a new fanatic of the Baebes. I'd actually rate this one 3 1/2 stars because it's worth purchasing if your a fan like me, but to be honest I prefer the feel (if not the purity) of the earlier albums. I guess it's just a matter of taste.

Deep, wild and wonderfully wyrd!.......2006-10-01

Joined this time by an entire ensemble of period and modern instruments that layer in with the women's vocals, the Mediaeval Baebes continue to deepen and flesh out their sound, experimenting with new stylistic elements ranging from traditional folk and folk rock to African-style percussive chant and even an atonal choral symphony. The Baebes continue to take turns at playing instruments and composing the music, too, displaying their diverse sensibilities while never straying too far from the group's signature sound--a blend of driving, unison chants with wispy, straight-toned solos and mesmerizing whirlwinds of naturally looping vocals and instrumentals. The mix of lively and laid back songs on "Mirabilis" is about half and half, with the lively songs being highly and intriguingly percussive but (thankfully!) with nary a mindless, programmed club-beat in earshot. #15, in particular, "Come My Sweet," is a great dance song and all acoustic. The only electronic sound on this album seems to be from an occasional electric guitar or bass, judiciously used. The rest is all natural, and still wickedly cool. For more pseudo-medieval music with a modern edge, try also the recordings of Faun, Estampie, Corvus Corax, Qntal, Dead Can Dance, and "MCMXC A.D." by Enigma. And if you'd like to take the plunge and try the real thing, check out the following: "Music of the Crusades" by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London, "Cantigas de Amigo" by Ensemble Alcatraz and Kitka, "On the Way to Bethlehem" by Ensemble Unicorn, and "Perceval: The Quest for the Grail" by La Nef, "Libre Vermell" by Sarband, "Istanpitta" I and II by New York's Ensemble for Early Music, and anything by Wolgemut. Great stuff--unplugged and all on its own!

Temptasyon!.......2006-04-20

I have always enjoyed listening to the Baebes, and this may become my favorite recording of theirs yet! I especially got hooked on "Star of the Sea" and "Temptasyon."

Average customer rating:

Not Thrilling
Good CD
Re-release of Il Solazzo
A good, simple bargain, with a sweet reward

Music for a Medieval Banquet

Manufacturer: Hmf Classical Exp.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music

$6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection
Medieval Dance Music
Medieval & Renaissance Minstrels, Songs & Dances
Music Of The Crusades
Courts, Kings, & Troubadours: Medieval & Renaissance Music

ASIN: B00005A3WX
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Customer Reviews:

Not Thrilling.......2007-01-05

I have been online for 3 hours tonight reading Amazon's reviews of various medieval CD's. I really wanted to find a Waverly Consort CD comparable to their marvelous, magical, exuberant "A Waverly Consort Christmas," but nothing seems to match that one. I have a dial-up modem and for some reason none of Amazon's musical selections will play even though I have no problems with video games and music uploads from other sources. Thus, I have to rely upon written reviews.

Among the many albums for which I read reviews tonight was one for "A Medieval Banquet" by the Newberry Consort. The title & group rang a bell so I checked my collection and found that it was originally called *Il Solazzo" (as others have already noted among these reviews). I bought it in early 1995 but never wrote any comments in the attached booklet, which is unusual for me.

I have now played the CD twice and understand why I made no comments: it was simply not thrilling. I am no musicologist -- just someone who loves early music because it makes my soul sing. This CD is "nice," but my soul goes ho-hum when I hear it. (The one exception is the #9 selection with rebec, vielle & lute -- and no voices.)

The instrumentals have a certain charm but they generally feel more Renaissance than medieval to me. The vocals leave me completely cold. In some of the reviews I read tonight I came across the concept of "operatic" applied to some of this early music. I had no idea what the authors meant since there was no opera at such an early period. But in playing this CD, I understood -- there is indeed a bloated, elaborate vocal quality that really does feel "operatic." It seems entirely unsuited to "Music for a Medieval Banquet."

If your soul wants to sing, this proably isn't the CD for you. Try the Waverly Consort's "Christmas" along with a glass of fine wine

Good CD.......2004-04-30

One of the reasons why I bought this recording is the interesting choice of pieces, which range from the often-recorded instrumental dances to the less-known sung tracks.

When I played it, the first thing that struck me of this CD is the thinness of the sound in the dances. Although the performance is spotless, it lacks the body that other medieval-dance groups add to their sound - notably the older but still great Studio der Fruehen Musik. Is this an unfair statement? Perhaps - but these dances have been recorded so many times that it is only natural to compare versions.

Also, the use of percussion instruments would have been a nice touch, besides being perfectly historical. Then, a more varied instrumental arrangement may have been a good addition, especially in the longer numbers such as Chominciamento di gioia.

The other point that puzzled me is that in the first track (La Badessa), the singer sounds as if she is playing a losing game of catch-up with the instruments, which results in a mediocre performance of that particular piece. It is a pity, because the song is very catchy and the singer's voice is stylistically spot on.

Having said all this, the selections of songs and dances is first-choice, the performance is good and well researched and the CD remains one of the most played in my household.

Re-release of Il Solazzo.......2002-10-10

Just a quick note on this CD: It's a re-release of the Newberry Consort's "Il Solazzo" disc without the texts and with less nice packaging. Since that disc can be hard to find, this CD is welcome, but if you can find the other release cheaper it's a better deal.

A good, simple bargain, with a sweet reward.......2002-06-11

This simple little album reminds me of what it is that I love most about the Italian Renaissance - its barefaced passion and gut level power. So playful and raucous at times that I felt as if I were in a scene from Pasolini's irreverent "Decameron" and at other moments, so serene that I was in a chapter from Chaucer. The music is simple and unpretentious. Not resorting to gimmicks, they allow the music to be expressed in a way that it very probably was in the age when it reigned: unashamed, expressive, brazenly colorful and just a bit flamboyant.

So much for the performers. As for the producers...

On the downside, it is painfully obvious that they made this album on a shoe-string budget. That can be a good thing in forcing the artists to stick to the music's purity instead of hiring a team of sound engineers to make it "sound" better, but there is absolutely no documentation about the songs, other than their titles and playing times. A sickly-thin album insert has a blurb in English and Italian about polyphony, told in allegorical style, with each paragraph in an alternating language instead of one section in each language. Go figure! Maybe the AltaVista translator they used for free had a one-paragraph limit.

But it also has a variety of styles, both vocal and instrumental, so it gives a nice overall flavor of what life might have sounded like in that little part of the world, during that remarkable little slice of musical history.

Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland / Sequentia
Average customer rating:

Sings to my DNA

Pretty Good

For the Nordic Soul, an echo across time...

Medieval Latin? Music

A great tool for learning as well as the musical enjoyment

Edda - An Icelandic Saga - Myths From Medieval Iceland / Sequentia

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

The Rheingold Curse: A Germanic Saga of Greed and Revenge from the Medieval Icelandic Edda

Aquitania

Lost Songs of a Rhineland Harper [Hybrid SACD]

Nordisk Sang

Nordic Roots: Northside Sampler

ASIN: B00000IFOM
Release Date: 1999-05-18

Tracks:

Myths From Medieval Iceland: Leikr elds ok isa (The Song Of Fire And Ice)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Veit ek at ek hekk (Odinn's Rune-verses)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Hliods bid ek allar (The Prophecy Of The Seeress)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Vreidr var pa Ving-Porr (The Tale Of Prymr)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Nu erum komnar (The Song Of The Mill)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Baldrs minni (In Memory Of Baldr)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Senn voru aesir allir a pingi (Baldr's Dreams)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Pat man hon folkvig (The Prophecy Of The Seeress)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: Ragnarok (The End Of The Gods)
Myths From Medieval Iceland: A fellr austan um eitrdala (The Prophecy Of The Seeress)

Amazon.com

Sequentia here performs a miracle of musical restoration, bringing to vibrant life medieval Icelandic texts about gods and heroes inhabiting a mythic past. Drawing on oral traditions and informed scholarly speculations about long-dead performing styles, they have come up with a hypnotic disc that startles with its power and beauties. The songs and recitations are interwoven with captivating fiddle tunes, and the singers wrench surprising emotions from the old texts. The late Barbara Thornton shines in her solos and duets, and Benjamin Bagby's mesmerizing chanting, recitation, and singing brings us as close as we're likely to get to sitting at the feet of the bards of old. An extraordinary disc that shouldn't be missed. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Sings to my DNA.......2007-02-17

While it's not unusual for me to have several different recordings of the same work by different performers, this is the only case in which I have two identical CDs, one for home and one for the car. I have to assume my Scots-Irish ancestry has some Nordic blood, as this music affects me powerfully. I haven't even read the program notes, so it can't be that the text's mesmerizing. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if mead is your drink, it's perfect.

Pretty Good.......2007-02-01

There are some really awesome moments on this disc. All of the Voluspa segments, especially the final one describing Ragnarok, and The Song of the Mill are very well done. The stark atmosphere serves to not only enhance the singing portion, but really draw you into the song. The booklet that comes with the CD is essential, with beautiful translations of the poems that put Caroline Larrington's Poetic Edda to shame.

But there are also a lot of weak moments. I can't say that there is anything interesting in the instrumentals, which are fortunately few and far between. The Tale of Thrym is ok the first time through, but loses it's appeal very quickly. Odin's Rune Verses lack emotion compared to the rest of the pieces.

I also found the Italian Opera style singing a bit imposing. The rolling of the r's is sometime distracting, and I wondered the first time I heard it if that's what the language really sounds like. Of course, this is my first exposure to Icelandic, so I really couldn't tell you if its right or wrong, but the male singers do it much more than the females. Perhaps it just comes from their background as opera singers.

Overall, this is a good thing to have if you're at all interested in Norse/Icelandic/Viking mythology. If you're not, I think you can skip it.

For the Nordic Soul, an echo across time..........2006-10-23

I thought nothing like this existed, yet here it is! The Sequentia group sings ancient Nordic mythological poems, in very much the manner of ancient Skalds. The skald was a bard, or troubadour, of ancient Scandinavia. In the Sagas, many of the greatest skalds came from Iceland, a land colonized by Norwegians unwilling to live under the dictatorship of King Harald Harfa-gri (Harald Fairhair). The songs on this album are recited in Icelandic, a language that has changed only slightly from the Old Norse spoken by their ancestors. The style of performance is a specualtion, to a certain degree, but very much like that of most traditional Nordic folk music, traditions that have been passed on for centuries.

Medieval Latin? Music.......2006-10-14

For some reason, it doesn't sound quite nordic to me. Did they really roll their 'R's in the Old Norse, or is Sequentia putting a Latin spin on it? It sounds like Italian opera accompanied by medieval Icelandic instruments.

A great tool for learning as well as the musical enjoyment.......2006-07-11

I am impressed by, actually, the insert book! It has 47 thin pages of history, lyrics, and translation.

I bought this CD because the only foreign language I really retain is from foreign music. The lyrics are decently clear for learning. I didn't expect the insert book to have Icelandic lyrics, but it has that and a translation. There is a summary on each of the poems also.

The music is a bit simple, but the real art is in the song. The singing could even go without instrumentation. The album is 76:52 minutes long.

Average customer rating:

Recommended for Corvus Corax fans
Big, Loud, Acrobatic, Silly, Black Birds: You'll want to dance around too!
severely underrated
Corvus Corax: It's Not Just for Germans Anymore...

Venus Vina Musica
Corvus Corax
Manufacturer: Dancing Ferret
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Best Of Corvus Corax
Renaissance
Gaudia Vite Live
Signum
Illuminate

ASIN: B000FP2IWS
Release Date: 2007-07-16

Tracks:

Anti Dolores Capitis
Venus Vina Musica
Urmawi
Tuska
Qui Nous Demaine
Bibit Aleum
Katrinka
Tertio
Feralis Saltare
Sanyogita
Scotus
Lamentatio Coelibatus

Album Description

Following their debut US concerts in 2005, Corvus Corax has been popping up on US magazine covers, TV shows, movie soundtracks and more. With the release of "Venus Vina Musica," 2006 promises more of the US falling sway to the mesmerizing tribal medieval rock style of this eight piece band of German minstrels.

If you're thinking of chamber music from old guys in suits, think again! An abundance of attitude accompanies a plenitude of pipes and a plethora of percussion. Hand-made, historically researched instruments and authentic medieval songs are invigorated with an aggressive performance style that brings people to their feet and keeps them there.

"Venus Vina Musica" features 12 brand new songs in the trademark tribal-medieval style of Corvus Corax.

Customer Reviews:

Recommended for Corvus Corax fans.......2007-01-04

This is a good album for Corvus Corax fans. It has a nice mixture of serene ballads, male chorus, driving drum beats, wailing bagpipes, and manic energy. The other CD I have of their "Best of.." which, obviously I liked enough to get another. They do a great job of bringing medieval music to life. Really good for keeping a pace while exercising. Other groups I like are Estampie, Qntal, Flook, Kings Singers.

Big, Loud, Acrobatic, Silly, Black Birds: You'll want to dance around too!.......2006-10-08

About the Band:
Corvus Corax, whos name means raven, is a German medieval ensemble of seven formed in the late 1980s and true to their namesake, which are known for their loud and deep caw and elaborate mating acrobatics, the band is known for its live performances of loud, emotional, and powerful street music! Band members are skilled experts in a variety of dated instruments, including: various bagpipes (yes, there are actually numerous different types), various shawms, bells, assorted drums, the ceng-cengs and other cymbals, the cittern (an old stringed instrument), the ever lovable fiddle, the gangu or "dragon drum" used for talking to the dead, the krack krack (a Moroccan instrument), etc. I'd be remiss if I didn't add that some of the tracks also feature the oldest instrument of all - the human voice. I think you get the idea ... basically they take various instruments from around the world that predate the institutionalization of music, and create emotional and energetic music designed for common people.

About the Album:
Venus Vina Musica follows in the footsteps of their Best of Corvus Corax album, which was major success after being released in the United States in April 2005. If you've not listened to their Best of album, please check out that item as well. Venus Vina Musica could easily be a best of album in its own right. Featuring 52 minutes of 12 full-length tracks, the album is everything we have come to expect from Corvus Corax and more. What is nice is that two guest musicians join our crazy ravens, including Oliver Sa Tyr of Faun who plays a Celtic Harp and Jordon Finus as another bagpipe player. I personally enjoyed the tracks that also featured vocals.

I bought this album without listening to it, solely based on other songs I've come to love from them, and they've continued to show musical growth with this latest release. Unfortunately you can not currently sample the tracks on Venus Vina Musica here on amazon, but you can try visiting their homepage (corvuscorax.de) to listen to samples - though their page requires flash and is slow on my dialup, it is so worth visiting in its own right - they explain in English all of their instruments.

Recommended Tracks:
- Lamentatio Coelibatus
- Qui Nous Demaine (which features a Celtic Harp)
- Bibit Aleum
- Katrinka (the fiddle piece)
- Scotus

I'll add that if you enjoy percussive world music, such as what is offered on this album, then you actually might also enjoy Bear McCreary's Battlestar Galactica soundtracks which also incorporate similar elements (though produced in a studio, whereas Corvus Corax are best experienced live). Also if you happen to really enjoy medieval music and be in Germany, then buy any "Miroque" compilation you might find. Mittelalter musik is thriving in Germany, but like the period it hails to, it tends to focus on local artists whom are not as prolific and hence there is plenty of amazing music that tends to be a bit harder to find.

Similar Artists:
- Schelmish
- Faun
- Estampie
- In Extremo
- Qntal
- Irfan
- Vas
- Moon Far Away (you'll probably have to order this Russian band from their French label Prikosnovenie)

severely underrated.......2006-08-23

oh my f@#%^ing God!!!!!
On that note, this German based band only gets better with time. It was definitely a refreshing experience to hear their earlier work when I did, as there are not many bands trying to break into the mainstream with this bands' unique style. However, Corvus Corax are not so ambigious as to dismay the innocent on-looker. This is truly a masterpiece that any music lover would enjoy to behold.
To describe them consicely--- Latin chanting mixed with Scottish bagpipes and heavy Egyptian drumming. Scared yet??? Don't be. This is one hell of a breathtaking album, to say the least.
High power, meditative, catchy, carefully arranged; i haven't heard anything this good since Karl Sanders from NIle put out his solo album.
Excellent, excellent album all around.

,

Corvus Corax: It's Not Just for Germans Anymore..........2006-07-18

I just tonight realized by visiting their website that Corvus Corax had released a new album; after screaming out loud and hyperventilating for several minutes, I collected my wits and rushed here to Amazon.com, and, lo and behold, I COULD BUY IT HERE! And not pay $18 shipping from Amazon.de!

I then proceeded to scream and hyperventilate further. And buy the new album.

I'm listening to the high-quality sound samples from their new album on their own website right now, and it's everything I hoped it would be. I discovered Corvus Corax, what is often described as a "German Medieval band", last year, on the eve of their debut US appearance at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Festival. I happened to be looking up reference photos for ravens ("Corvus Corax" is the latin name for the common raven) and came across their website instead. I listened to the sound samples I found there, fell madly in love with the music, and since then I've willingly paid an arm and a leg to have seven of their albums shipped across the Atlantic to me here in the US. I even had to buy one twice, because I played, transported, jostled and scratched it so much it became unreadable by my CD player.

If you're new to Corvus Corax and wondering what their music is like, the best I can do for you is to direct you to their own website, corvuscorax.de, where they have wonderful sound samples from all of their albums. The next best thing I can do for you is to suggest that their music is something like you might expect to hear on the soundtrack of a movie like...well, any movie that would take place in medieval Germany (not surprisingly, I suppose, no such movies spring readily to mind). Call it ethnic, call it tribal, call it medieval...just don't call it ordinary.

I haven't been able to find any comparable German bands that tickle my fancy like Corvus Corax does; the closes thing to them that I like are the Scandinavian bands Hedningarna and Garmarna, although Corvus Corax uses a lot of bagpipes, which you don't hear in either Hedningarna or Garmarna.

As their website indicates, this album seems to take a bit of a different tact than their previous efforts: the instrumentation and overall flavor of the music seems more worldly, or at least less eurocentric and with more of an eastern flavor. Veteran fans won't be disappointed, and the uninitiated should find this album as appropriate a place as any other to begin their voyage into the world of Corvus Corax.

Music Track:

Music Track

music track

Recommended Music:

The String Quartet Tribute to U2's Joshua Tree

Burning House

Century of the Blues

Music: The Best of the Carter Family, Vol. 1

Dancefloor Principles

Garage Anthems [Import]

Die Groben Erfolge [Import]

Couldn't Stand the Weather [Extra tracks] [Original recording remastered]

Criminal Within

Blues Jam in Chicago V.1

Dog Man Star

Boleros de Oro

DJ Kicks

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi: Marian Vespers

The Definitive Collection