Miguel de Fuenllana - Libro de Musica para Vihuela intitulado Orphenica lyra

Our colleague Ivan Moody describes the Music book for vihuela, entitled Orphénica Lyra, "as one of the greatest achievements in writing for vihuela, as much for the wide spectrum of the works that are included as for its consummate technical perfection." It contains Fuenllana's own compositions alongside his arrangements of Morales, Josquin, Vázquez and other illustrious names. As such there are six books that under the previously mentioned title make up 188 works. This CD offers us 18, not in their original form for vihuela or vihuela and voices, but instrumentally arranged according to the common practice of the era. Nowadays, when fortunately there is no place for dogmatism (nor for sterile interpretative adventures that could do a disservice to the original), the present work deserves to be praised for its creativity and a musicality capable of captivating from the very first moment. The performances have great transparency, allowing one to hear the richly plotted polyphony. It also at times alternates the interventions of the instrumental group with the original for lute. This provides a very suggestive wealth of timbre. The vocal interventions fulfil wonderfully their assignment, and the participation of Balestracci, Casademunt or Moreno guarantees the pedigree of the group. A beautiful CD, very interesting, and above all very personal. It deserves our most enthusiastic recommendation. JOSEP PASCUAL

Title & Reference
FUENLLANA: ORPHÉNICA LYRA
Secular music from Renaissance Spain
GCD 920204
Performers
ORPHÉNICA LYRA
directed by José Miguel Moreno

Nuria Rial, soprano
Carlos Mena, countertenor
José Miguel Moreno, vihuela
Guido Balestracci, viola da gamba
Sergi Casademunt, viola da gamba
Alba Fresno, viola da gamba
Juan Carlos de Mulder, guitar
Fernando Paz, recorder
David Mayoral, percussion
Production details
Recorded in Cuenca (Iglesia de San Miguel) and in San Lorenzo de el Escorial (Antigua Hospedería), in February and March 1999
Engineered by JOSÉ MIGUEL MORENO and ISIDRO MATAMOROS
Edited by CARLOS CÉSTER
Produced by EMILIO MORENO and CARLOS CÉSTER
Total playing time 62:45

1 FLECHA-FUENLLANA La Bomba
2 NARVÁEZ-FUENLLANA Passeavase el rey moro
3 FLECHA-FUENLLANA Buscad de oy mas
4 VÁZQUEZ-FUENLLANA Morenica, dame un beso
5 FUENLLANA Dúo
6 VÁZQUEZ-FUENLLANA Vos me matastes
7 ORTIZ/ARCADELT-FUENLLANA O felici occhi miei
8 VÁZQUEZ-FUENLLANA No sé qué me bulle
9 SERMISY-FUENLLANA Tan que vivray
10 FUENLLANA Fantasía de redobles
11 FLECHA-FUENLLANA La Girigonça
12 FONTANA-FUENLLANA Madona mia
13 VÁZQUEZ-FUENLLANA Como quereys, madre
14 VÁZQUEZ-FUENLLANA Con qué la lavaré
15 FLECHA-FUENLLANA O que bonica canción
16 VÁZQUEZ-FUENLLANA Duélete de mí, señora
17 VÁZQUEZ-FUENLLANA De los álamos vengo
18 MORALES-FUENLLANA Benedictus de Mila regres

No log. I don't recall want happened to it. I probably accidently deleted it. Nevertheless, I ripped it EAC\secure (as always) on a new CD. It's a friggin'tastic disc!