Florilegium

Florilegium
Ashley Solomon baroque flute,recorder
Kati Debretzeni violin Sarah Moffatt violin
Jennifer Morsches cello
Robert Nairn bass
Eligio Quinteiro theorbo, guitar
James Johnstone harpsichord,organ

Bolivian soloists
Katia Escalera soprano
Henry Villca tenor
Alejandra Wayar soprano
Gian-Carla Tisera mezzo soprano

Baroque Music in the Jesuit Reducciones (Settlements) The study of the music in the South American archives has revolutionized our knowledge of the musical culture in the urban and missionary centres between the XVI and XVIII Centuries in the Americas. European, native South American and Creole (Spaniards born in South America) composers and musicians created a uniquely South American Renaissance and Baroque repertoire, comparable in its magnitude and originality to the musical innovations of the outstanding European musical centres of that time. To date two important collections of South American missionary music have been preserved. The first can be found in Concepcin, Bolivia, at the Library of the Vicariato Apostlico de Nuflo de Chvez. This collection comes from the missionary churches of San Rafael and Santa Ana. The other, discovered and organised more recently, belongs to the collection of music manuscripts of the former Jesuit Mission of the Moxos Indians, in Bolivia. Copies of the latter were still being produced up to the 1990s. Several vocal works with accompaniment can be found in both collections, as well as a truly exceptional group of instrumental pieces within the Latin American repertoire, which usually consists only of a vocal and choral repertoire and not an instrumental one. Although a big part of the composition is of Indian authorship (with texts in native languages: Chiquitana, Baure, Moxa, Canichana, Guarani), the manuscripts include also six Masses of Giovanni Battista Bassani (1657-1716), two motets by Johann Joseph Ignaz Brentner (1689-1720) and 14 compositions by Domenico Zipolli (1688-1726), which have been used as models for the music teaching which was disseminated at the missions. Its value is unique and is the only means of clarifying our knowledge of the musical culture of the ancient missions in the Americas......

(...) Extraordinary beauty in many ways. Nawrot wants the whole world to hear about Bolivian baroque: this release is a good start and has me sighing for more.
American Record Guide

 (…) L’enregistrement est un vivant témoignage. Interprétées pas d’exceptionnels solistes et musiciens boliviens (...)
Patrimoine de France

 Un régal!!
La Vie

(…) Le résultat ne génère aucun ennui, le plaisir se voyant prolongé pas un ‘making of’ sur DVD
Diapason

 (…) the most adventurous release I’ve reviewed so far this year. (…) All four soloists are Bolivian ‘home-grown talent!!! (…) I’m full of missionary zeal for this project – there really is a New World waiting to be discovered.
International Record Review

 (...) El resultado es de un virtuosismo asombroso.
Cambiarán – Tu vida

 Dans une optique plus individualisée et dramatique, on mentionnera une merveille de ce mois très riche (…) très charmant (…)
Classica/Répertoire

 (…) des émotions considérable. Les interprètes sont excellents. (…) Intéressant, le DVD ouvre des cartes et montre les manuscrits originaux et des images des belles églises missionaires.
Le Monde de la Musique

 (…) Ich muss sagen sie machen ihre Sache seht gut und verleihen der hervorragenden Einspielung noch zusätzliche Authentizität.
Toccata

The music is superb, and very much in the Baroque tradition. The Bolivian soloists are just sensational, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Channel Classics chose to record them again – they're really that good! Sound, as always was excellent – I've never heard a bad disc from Channel Classics. Highly recommended.
Audiophile Audition

(…) Die besondere Delikatesse dieser Einspielung sind die großartigen bolivianischen Solisten (…)
Pizzicato

Tenor Henry Villca’s aria by Zipoli, "In hoc mundo", which sounds almost Mozartean in its opera-like dramatic character, is one of the disc's highlights. Incidentally, all four of the vocal soloists are native Bolivians, which, along with the location recording gives the performances a welcome cultural and ambient authenticity. (…) The instrumental work by the members of Florilegium is excellent (…) beautifully-designed and colorful presentation. The music and performances are very fine, and I can recommend those without reservation!
Classics Today.com

 (...) the verve and sense of fun generated by UK early music group Florilegium and four sparkly young Bolivian soloists, specially selected for the job. (...) Fascinating project (...)
Musicweek

Een juweel van een productie. (...) De opnames laten kleurrijke muziek horen die op een prettige manier aanschurkt tegen Vivaldi. Als bonus een panfluitimprovisatie door Villca bijgevoegd. Tropische zangvogels tekenen voor een spontaan naspel.
De Gelderlander

 (…) Een cd met een bijzondere achtergrond (…)
Luister

 Hoor je nu Bach, Vivaldi of Händel? Fout, de muziek op deze cd komt uit de binnenlanden van Bolivia. (…) Deze schitterende cd bezit een oneindige klankrijkdom en is een parel in de barokmuziek!!
Brabants Dagblad

 (...) Hoe deze instrumentale en vocale religieuze muziek klinkt? Gewoon als heerlijke onvervalste barokmuziek. Afwisselend wervelend en bezonken. (...)
Reformatorisch Dagblad

Même si on a déjà connu d'autres disques de musique baroque venue du continent sud-américain, le présent CD sort assurément des sentiers battus. Les Britanniques de l'Ensemble Florilegium se sont, en effet, rendus en Bolivie pour exhumer des oeuvres composées là-bas pour les colonies jésuites  au début du XVIIIe siècle, soit par l'Italien Domenico Zippoli, soit par des compositeurs restés anonymes. Mais l'originalité de la démarche tient aussi à ce que les enregistrements ont été réalisés là-bas dans la jungle, et avec - pour les pièces vocales qui alternent ici avec les instrumentaux - des solistes choisis sur place. (...) une démarche passionnante évoquée sur un DVD making of offert en complément.
La Libre