español | français Medieval Renaissance Baroque Clasicism Opera  5 STARS All periods MEDIEVAL RENAISSANCE BAROQUE CLASICISM OPERA ESPAÑA DEL CID Caballeros y guerreros. Música de los siglos XI al XIII Eduardo Paniagua El Arabi Ensemble Pneuma PN900 2007 - 63:46 min. This latest release from Eduardo Paniagua’s Pneuma label celebrates the 800th anniversary of the writing of the Poema del Cid by presenting a generous selection drawn largely from Paniagua’s monumental (and deservedly much-lauded) exploration of the Cantigas de Alfonso X el Sabio. Also included are selections from his equally impressive forays into Arab-Andalusian music. The result is an extraordinarily rich musical portrait of Iberian medieval chivalry. One of Spain’s national heroes, El Cid (Arabic al-Said – “the Lord”) was Rodrigo Díaz de Bivar (c.1040-99), a Castilian knight who, after his exile, became a mercenary and often fought with the Moors rather than against them. He conquered Valencia in 1094 and ruled it until being expelled shortly before his death. As with his previous releases, Paniagua has organised the material thematically. Here, we have six sections reflecting the career of El Cid, with titles like “Friend of Princes”, “Banishment”, “The Defence of Toledo” and “The Conquest of Valencia”. The highly imaginative realisation of the music and its stunning execution are of course beyond criticism, with solo and ensemble singing, impassioned declamation, percussion, brass, woodwind and plucked and bowed strings building up an aural equivalent of a tempera painting on panel or an illuminated manuscript. Also impressive are the more intimate tracks, like ud player Wafir Sheik’s beautiful taqsim. One word of warning: because this is a compilation of previously released material, there are scant notes and no texts or translations included. However, as a general introduction to Paniagua’s work, it is ideal. WILLIAM YEOMAN ABOUT US | CONTRIBUTE   web map - home page - cover Legal warning Copyright 2003, Goldberg. info@goldberg-magazine.com