Antonio Zacara da TERAMO (c. 1365-before 1416)
Ferito Già d'un Amoroso Dardo [5:08]
Movit' a Pietade [4:14]
Benché Lontan me Trov' in Altra Parte [4:56]
Plorans Ploravi Perché la Fortuna [8:28]
Nuda non Era, Preso Altro Vestito [5:36]
Le Temps Verrà Tamtoust Après [4:08]
Spinato Intorno al Cor (Instrumental) [4:35]
Un Fior Gentil m'Apparse [4:27]
Rosetta che non Canbi Mai Colore [6:32]
Spinato Intorno al Cor [5:58]
Kristin Mulders (soprano), Kjetil Almenning (tenor), Hans Lub (medieval
fiddle), David Catalunya (clavisimbalum), Jostein Gundersen (recorders)
Currentes/Jostein Gundersen
rec. 8-10 October 2010, Hoff Church, Hoff Norway.
LAWO CLASSICS LWC1026 [54:11]
Making the acquaintance of new composers is always intriguing. The mysteries
surrounding such figures as Antonio da Teramo require more background reading
than many. Despite being born with a growth-stunting congenital disorder
and as a result being nicknamed ‘Zàcara’ or ‘splash of
mud’, Antonio was a skilled painter of miniatures. He was, at the
same time, a musician in the service of Popes, making him known in Rome
and Florence. This ensured the preservation of his name despite the turbulent
times in which he flourished. Further background reading can be found in
Johan van Veen’s approving review.
Recorded in Hoff Church, a well-preserved but oft-restored 11th
century stone building, ensures ideal acoustics for this music, with its
fragility of instrumentation, transparency of line, and gently sparkling
clavisimbalum. More importantly, the environment is a gift for the human
voice, and no doubt this would have been a factor in the design and proportions
of such buildings. Kristin Mulders and Kjetil Almenning are very well matched,
delivering eloquent dynamics and phrasing, vibrato as occasional ornament,
and excellent diction.
Recorder and medieval fiddle are the only other instruments listed, and
you might think the restrictions on sound colour might prove a little off-putting,
but nothing could be further from the truth. The remarkable inventiveness
of this music holds one in its spell throughout, and more spectacular but
suspect instrumentation would doubtless prove a distraction. As has been
pointed out elsewhere, the way this music would originally have sounded
has long been lost. Any performance today has to be part guesswork, part
taste and the fashion and perceptions of our own times as well as a big
dollop of hard work researching contemporary illustrations and the manuscripts
themselves. The sense of being transported back to a time long forgotten,
but one with which we can empathise, is a powerful quality in these performances.
There is a temptation to hear this music as being part of dark devotional
nights amongst flickering candles. However, the texts show a preoccupation
with love, analogies with nature, emotional striving and no doubt a myriad
hidden codes which would have been messages as clear as day to Zacara’s
people. The texts are given in the booklet in their original versions as
well as Norwegian and English translations but navigation amongst these
is a bit of a nightmare. Track numbers would have helped in this section
since the multilingual cross-referencing required is needlessly tricky.
If the idea of very early music and spotless performances of some incredible
musical jewels attracts, then this CD is its manifestation.
Dominy Clements
Previous review: Johan van Veen
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