Rama Ho

1. Shankara [Remix]

2. Open Your Mind

3. Om Shanti

4. Rama Ho 1

5. Shankara

6. Om Namah Shivaya

7. Jai Jai Vitale

8. Om Guru

9. Parvati

10. Hari

11. Durga

12. Jai Jai Vitale [Remix]

13. Rama Ho 2

14. Uma Sudam

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.

Il Solazzo: Music for a Medieval Banquet
Average customer rating:

very nice

Great for Medieval Music Lovers!

Il Solazzo: Music for a Medieval Banquet

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Madrigals | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Codex Faenza: Instrumental Music of the Early 15th Century

Panorama: Dances of the Renaissance

Sinners & Saints: The Ultimate Medieval and Renaissance Music Collection

Medieval Dance Music

ASIN: B0000007CU
Release Date: 1993-03-29

Tracks:

Il Solazzo: La Badessa
Il Solazzo: Bel fiore danza
Il Solazzo: Nova stella
Il Solazzo: Cominciamento di gioia
Il Solazzo: Non al suo amante
Il Solazzo: Trotto
Il Solazzo: Dolcie signiore
Il Solazzo: Donna, s'i' t'o fallito
Il Solazzo: Principio di virtu
Il Solazzo: O rosa bella
Il Solazzo: Rosetta
Il Solazzo: La bionda trezza
Il Solazzo: El gran disio
Il Solazzo: Un fior gentil
Il Solazzo: Alba columba
Il Solazzo: Ligiadra donna

Customer Reviews:

very nice.......2003-09-09

Unlike many recordings of medieval music that sound weak, tinny, or too slick and studio polished, this one has a nice full, hearty sound. Very pleasant listening--stimulating yet relaxing. I'm not an expert on medieval music by any means but I thought this disc was a cut above others I've heard.

Great for Medieval Music Lovers!.......2000-04-02

For anyone who loves medieval history and instrumental/classical music this CD is wonderful. A warning though: this music is not synthesized and "polished" like modern ears are used to hearing. At first some of the music and vocals, particularly the female's, sound coarse and grating, especially in the first track. But I love the raw sound of medieval music before we had technology to gloss over and over-process it. I also suggest Songs of Chivalry by the Martin Best Ensemble.

Average customer rating:

Rama Ho
Don Shiva
Manufacturer: Blue Flame
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005Y3H1
Release Date: 2002-02-11

Tracks:

Shankara [Remix]
Open Your Mind
Om Shanti
Rama Ho 1
Shankara
Om Namah Shivaya
Jai Jai Vitale
Om Guru
Parvati
Hari
Durga
Jai Jai Vitale [Remix]
Rama Ho 2
Uma Sudam

Average customer rating:

Spiritual Dance/Trance Music
Excellent Mix of Ancient Chants, Deep Base lines and beats.
"ART OF LIVING" SAMPLES IN A TECHNO/DANCE/TRANCE MIX

Rama Ho
Don Shiva
Manufacturer: Blue Flame
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Techno | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

India | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music

General | India & Pakistan | International | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | R&B | Styles | Music

General | Soul | R&B | Styles | Music

Soul | Compilations | R&B | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music

R&B | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00001SVMC
Release Date: 1999-10-01

Tracks:

Shankara [Remix]
Open Your Mind
Om Shanti
Rama Ho 1
Shankara
Om Namah Shivaya
Jai Jai Vitale
Om Guru
Parvati
Hari
Durga
Jai Jai Vitale [Remix]
Rama Ho 2
Uma Sudam

Customer Reviews:

Spiritual Dance/Trance Music.......2005-01-17

I agree that is album grows on you. I liked it from the very beginning but now I am finding more and more layers to each song. It is deep music but light at the same time. It is excellent to put in the car and go. I give 4 stars just because I think that Shiva could have gone a little further and deeper with some of the songs but they are all still amazing.

Excellent Mix of Ancient Chants, Deep Base lines and beats........2002-07-10

Excellent mix of catchy sacred chants mixed to good beats. Unlike other cds, I find it growing on me more and more as time goes by. Thats why I am buying another copy. Something about timeless Mantras mixed to modern beats they compliment each other when done well. Don Shiva has done well.

"ART OF LIVING" SAMPLES IN A TECHNO/DANCE/TRANCE MIX.......1999-12-12

This is a great techno/dance/trance CD with the original devotional "Art of Living" samples. A great mix of devotional music and dance beats. Highly recommendable, especially for those practicing the "Art of Living" techniques for spiritual uplifting... Jai Guru Dev!