Recordings

The earthy and devotional Marian songs collected at the court of Castile in the 13th century are a cultural treasure trove, not just for their very real musical and spiritual joys, but also for what they reveal about a thriving and harmonious multicultural society. What the music, texts and the iconography of the manuscripts tell us about this diversity has long been understood theoretically, but seldom made as lively a basis for performance as done here by Cohen and cohorts. Cohen has combined stars of the Europe-based early music movement with a dynamic ensemble of Moroccan masters. The result is a zesty and expressive fusion that fits the songs wonderfully. The range of textures is wide, from a highly inflected single voice to a sort of Afro-Hispanic chamber-orchestra-cum-dance-band. This can hardly be the last word on 13th century Castilian performance practices, but it challenges the mind and thrills the ear in its own right.