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Nice playing, but out of tune (not nice singing)

Daniel Mantey | Kyoto, Japan | 09/12/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Please listen to the tracks above, so you can hear that she does play very well, and very nice selection of tunes! BUT, two main problems: 1.)The chants that are included (not on the samples above) should not be on the CD. They are sung out of tune, and the voices are just not very good. Sorry. I always start the CD on track 2, and turn it off before the last track starts; good thing they are only on two cuts! Nice idea, but awful singing. 2.) Perhaps more importantly, she chose the WRONG tuning. This is all Medieval music. Yes, there are 3rds, but these are Medieval 3rds, NOT Renaissance 3rds! Medieval 3rds should be out of tune as they were intervals of motion and direction and not intervals of rest. Pythagorian tuning puts the 4th and 5ths in tune, and these pieces are all loaded to the brim with 4ths and 5ths, and those ARE the Medieval intervals of rest and cadence. So in other words, the whole CD is out of tune. The latest pieces on the CD are from the early 15th century, and Meantone tuning is absolutely inappropriate (I don't think is was even invented until 100 years later!!!). I think it is this tuning problem, but the CD bothers my ears, and I usually cannot listen to the whole thing at one go. Really too bad, as she plays very well, and the pieces are really super. I hope Kimberly will do the same line-up again on a new CD, leave the singers out, and find a nice ogran (or a few?) tuned at pure Pythagorian(s)."