Fire Burning In Snow. Ex Cathedra/skidmore
Label: Hyperion Catalog: CDA 67600 Format: CD Composed by: "For fire burning in snow is the effect of love." The final line of Juan de AraujoÃs Dime, amor gives this recording its title and conjures up the passion and dramatic contrasts which make this disc such a delight. Araujo (1648-1712) is considered by many commentators as the greatest Latin American composer of the Baroque, although much of his music remains largely unheard. Little is known about the man and there is almost certainly more material to uncover. Born in Spain, he emigrated at a young age to South America. After a turn as organist at Lima Cathedral, he lived in Panama and Cuzco, where a few of his manuscripts survive, and from 1680 he spent the last third of his life as organist at the cathedral of La Plata, now the Bolivian judicial capital of Sucre. This program includes one of his largest works, the triple-choir setting in eleven parts of the first great Vesper Psalm Dixit Dominus. This substantial work is through-composed and vividly captures the dramatic elements in the text with a dazzling display of polychoral techniques. The extraordinary imagination of Araujo in his choice of texts, his sensitivity to word-setting, his melodic, harmonic and textural inventiveness are remarkable, and even breathtaking. Ex CathedraÃs uplifting recordings of Latin American Baroque polyphony are always eagerly awaited, and here they present more great music, hitherto hidden in obscurity but alive with melodic beauty and joy. Performances are infectiously energetic and dazzlingly stylish. Price: $19.98 |