Album

The New Orleans Musica da Camera is not well known outside the U.S. Southeast, but with this disc of medieval songs and dances it delivers a recording that can stand with the thematically focused medieval releases of top European groups. Soprano Thaïs St.-Julien (only in New Orleans!) isn't a virtuoso singer like Montserrat Figueras, but she communicates a real sense of the texts of troubadour songs lamenting the absence of a crusading knight. The best news here is that the program makes sense in a way that bespeaks long acquaintance with the medieval secular repertory on the part of the group and its director, Milton G. Scheuermann Jr. The music pertains more or less directly to the four Crusades, not all of which have surviving music that is chronologically appropriate. But Scheuermann picks pieces that could theoretically have worked, and the group renders them convincingly. The music on the disc consists of troubadour songs, sacred monophony, and instrumental dances. Some listeners will prefer rhythmically meatier performances, especially in the instrumental pieces, but the New Orleans Musica da Camera is never guilty of giving dry readings of the sparse manuscripts that have come down to us. For an idea of the music on this disc, sample track 9, Ja nus hons pris, said to have been composed by Richard the Lionhearted (King Richard I of England) while imprisoned in Austria on his return from the Third Crusade. It's expressively sung by Richard Hutton, and it's a good illustration of how the monophonic songs of the era weren't all about pining away for a missing or unattainable loved one; some were quite political in their content. One disappointment is that the texts are given only in English translation, but this is better than no translations at all. The sound design is unusually nice; an old wood-paneled banquet hall in downtown Baton Rouge makes an evocative stand-in for a medieval castle. The booklet notes, which provide plenty of specific information while also placing the Crusades in both medieval and modern perspective, are also useful. Promoters who are trying to build an American early music scene to match the ones in Europe are advised to head on down and see how they are doing it in New Orleans.

© James Manheim, Rovi

CD 1
Anonymous, Codex Calixtinus Composer Dum pater familias, chant de pèlerins Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
1	Dum pater familias, chant de pèlerins	5:22			$0.99
Guillaume IX Composer Farai un Vers Work Roy Luisa Vocals, Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
2	Farai un Vers	3:58			$0.99
Marcabru Composer Pax in Nomine Domini!, for consort Work Roy Luisa Vocals, Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, Richard Hutton Vocals, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Vocals
3	Pax in Nomine Domini!, for consort	3:26			$0.99
Anonymous, English Composer English Dance (13th century) Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
4	English Dance (13th century)	7:05			$1.49
Conon de Béthune Composer Ahi, amours, con dure departie Work Betty Wauchope Vielle, Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Vocals
5	Ahi, amours, con dure departie	4:29			$0.99
Anonymous, French Composer Parti de mal et a bien atourné, for consort Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
6	Parti de mal et a bien atourné, for consort	5:27			$0.99
Anonymous, Manuscrit du Roi Composer La Sexte Estampie Real Work Ben Schehck Percussion, Stuart LeBlanc Lute, Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
7	La Sexte Estampie Real	2:24			$0.99
Guiot de Dijon Composer Chanterai por mon coraige (chanson) Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Vocals
8	Chanterai por mon coraige (chanson)	6:40			$0.99
Richard the Lionheart Composer Ja nus hons pris, for consort Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, Richard Hutton Vocals, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
9	Ja nus hons pris, for consort	5:22			$0.99
Anonymous, English Composer Ar ne kut ich sorghe non Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
10	Ar ne kut ich sorghe non	2:36			$0.99
Blondel de Nesle Composer Cuer disirrous apaie (chanson) Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Soloist, Richard Hutton Vocals, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
11	Cuer disirrous apaie (chanson)	4:24			$0.99
Raimbaut de Vaqeiras Composer Non m'agrad' ivérns ni pascors Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Soloist, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Vocals
12	Non m'agrad' ivérns ni pascors	4:59			$0.99
Anonymous, French Composer Bele Doette as fenestres se siet, chanson de toile Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Vocals
13	Bele Doette as fenestres se siet, chanson de toile	5:36			$0.99
Anonymous, Italian Composer Saltarellos 1-4 (GB-LBl Add.29987) Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Soloist, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
14	Saltarellos 1-4 (GB-LBl Add.29987)	2:04			$0.99
Anonymous, Cortona Composer Sia laudato San Francesco, devotional song (Laudario di Cortona) Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Soloist, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Vocals
15	Sia laudato San Francesco, devotional song (Laudario di Cortona)	4:00			$0.99
Thibault IV, King of Navarre Composer Seigneur, sachiez qui ore ne s'en ira (chanson de Croisade) Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Director
16	Seigneur, sachiez qui ore ne s'en ira (chanson de Croisade)	4:03			$0.99
Walther von der Vogelweide Composer Palästinalied (Kreutzfahrlied) ("Nu alrest lebe ich mir werde"), song Work Milton G. Jr. Scheuermann Director, New Orleans Musica da Camera Ensemble, Thaïs St. Julien Vocals
17	Palästinalied (Kreutzfahrlied) ("Nu alrest lebe ich mir werde"), song	4:40			$0.99