Search - :: La Tarantella: Antidotum Tarantulae

Easily, one of the most unique recordings I own

Steven Guy | Croydon, South Australia | 02/01/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I heard this recording in a shop on a Friday evening a couple of years ago. I listened for a couple of minutes and I bought it then and there. This is a very unusual Early Music recording.



Instead of the usual polite and rather staid Tarantellas we often hear on recordings of Italian folk music today, this is wild and untamed music, much more suited to dancing tarantula venom out of one's system!



Christina Pluhar's L'Arpeggiata ensemble includes: three singers, 2 Baroque harps, theorbo, 4 Baroque guitars, 2 archlutes, colascione (a kind of lute), 3 "chitarra battente", psaltery, lirone, viola da gamba, cornamuse and percussion. The sounds are very rich and colourful.



The singers, Marco Beasley, Lucilla Galeazzi and Alfio Antico, sing with great verve and "naturalness" - Marco Beasley, for instance, is a tenor, but he doesn't let himself get too bogged down by his Classical technique here. This is music with a Folk origin and everyone concerned with this recording seems to have kept that in mind. The result is full of energy, colour (as I said) and rhythmical energy.



I cannot describe the music on display here, it defies description. However, take my word for it, this is a great recording and I think you will find it as fascinating as it is entertaining."

Outstanding and heartfelt recording

L. Monahan | 05/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a remarkable recording with a pulsing life to it that is so rare to hear on a recording. It's as if one is listening to a live concert! The singing is absolutely fantastic, in all senses of the word, and the instrumental band is so inventive and full of life and colors. What an amazing group of performers! How I would love to hear them do more together. And from one singer to others: Marco, Lucilla and Alfio are all "the real deal"...fabulous, natural singers!"

Incredible and joyful early music

David Sternlight | Los Angeles | 06/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who likes renaissance dance music will love this disk. The group is superb, and has a large repertoire on CD; although they have taken Europe by storm and tour constantly, their CDs are in very limited availability in the US.



Get this before it becomes unavailable as well; you won't be sorry."