anon.: Ay Luna Que Reluces

‘Navidad’ is a celebration of the lively and compelling repertoire of Christmas music, songs and dances from 16th and 17th century Latin America and Spain, performed by leading Canadian early music ensemble The Toronto Consort.

‘Navidad’ features Christmas dances and a style of songs known as villancico, a distinctively Spanish form which has enjoyed a long history of popularity across Spain and Latin America almost continuously from the late 15th century to the present. Some of the songs written in Latin America were performed in the Iberian peninsula within a few years of their premieres in Mexico, showing how quickly music could travel both directions across the Atlantic. Indeed, as this recording demonstrates, in the 17th century the musical world in Latin America could boast a depth of feeling and vitality of execution to rival anything from Europe.

Since its founding in 1972, The Toronto Consort has become internationally recognised for its excellence in the performance of Medieval, Renaissance and early Baroque music. The Consort’s goal is to explore new repertoire and new ways to bring early music to the modern audience. It regularly tours across Canada, the United States and Europe.

The Emperor Charles V was surrounded by music from his childhood onwards. When Charles left the Netherlands to take up his inheritance of the Spanish throne he was accompanied by the Flemish musicians who later became the ‘Capilla Flamenca’ This recording sets a new focus and presents ceremonial wind music from the ‘Golden Age’ of the Spanish Renaissance, as it would have sounded in Charles V’s lifetime. The only probable comparison point for a recording like this which is centred around an historical figure is one by David Munrow in 1972.

Scottish early music ensemble Fires of Love serve up a feast of songs and ballads from the Spanish Renaissance and early Baroque, with a freshness critic Norman Lebrecht calls simply ‘beautiful’. Repertoire includes works by Luys de Narváez, Miguel de Fuenllana, Luis Milán, Alonso Mudarra and Juan del Encina.