Album

"Amor vincit omnia," love conquers all, was a scrap of classical poetry that has come down to the present day and might be taken as a motto for medieval-era secular song. That's how the Ensemble a Chantar, lutenist Marc Lewon, and soprano Regina Kabis see it. They present a collection of medieval love songs from various countries, emphasizing the connections between them: the language and especially the modes of expression, with both male composers and the genre's sole surviving female trobairitz writing songs from the female perspective in addition to the more conventional and at least subliminally religious courtly love imagery of the knight pining way for an unattainable love object. There isn't anything groundbreaking about this release as compared with the numerous other collections of medieval songs, most of which are love songs, but the way it's put together the program makes dramatic sense. The dramatic effect is heightened by Kabis' full-blooded singing, almost operatic on Oswald von Wolkenstein's Kreuslich geboren (track 16) and by the vigorous instrumental accompaniment and dance rhythms in the instrumental pieces, provided by percussionist Murat Coskun. All this works very well; there's nothing medieval-fair-ish about this performance at all. The only thing preventing this release from being a perfect introduction to medieval song for general anglophone listeners is the booklet, which provides texts only in German and the original language, where that is not German already.

© James Manheim, Rovi

CD 1
Beatriz de Dia (aka Comtessa de Dia) Composer A chantar m'er de so qu'en no volria, song Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
1	A chantar m'er de so qu'en no volria, song	5:47			$0.99
Marc Lewon Composer Stampida Codaxa, for ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
2	Prima & Secunda Pars	1:41			$0.99
Martin Codax Composer Cantigas (7) de Amigo, song cycle for voice and accompaniment (music missing from 1 cantiga) Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
3	Ondas do mar de Vigo	4:04			$0.99
Marc Lewon Composer Stampida Codaxa, for ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
4	Tercia Pars	1:12			$0.99
Martin Codax Composer Cantigas (7) de Amigo, song cycle for voice and accompaniment (music missing from 1 cantiga) Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
5	Mandad' ei comigo	2:27			$0.99
Marc Lewon Composer Stampida Codaxa, for ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
6	Quarta Pars	1:21			$0.99
Martin Codax Composer Cantigas (7) de Amigo, song cycle for voice and accompaniment (music missing from 1 cantiga) Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
7	Mia irmana fremosa, treides comigo	2:38			$0.99
Marc Lewon Composer Stampida Codaxa, for ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
8	Quinta Pars	1:23			$0.99
Martin Codax Composer Cantigas (7) de Amigo, song cycle for voice and accompaniment (music missing from 1 cantiga) Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
9	Ay Deus, se sab'ora meu amigo	2:48			$0.99
Marc Lewon Composer Stampida Codaxa, for ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
10	Sexta Pars	1:03			$0.99
Martin Codax Composer Cantigas (7) de Amigo, song cycle for voice and accompaniment (music missing from 1 cantiga) Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
11	Quantas sabedes amar amigo	3:22			$0.99
Marc Lewon Composer Stampida Codaxa, for ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
12	Septima Pars	1:00			$0.99
Martin Codax Composer Cantigas (7) de Amigo, song cycle for voice and accompaniment (music missing from 1 cantiga) Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
13	Eno sagrado en Vigo	3:11			$0.99
Marc Lewon Composer Stampida Codaxa, for ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
14	Octava Pars	1:08			$0.99
Martin Codax Composer Cantigas (7) de Amigo, song cycle for voice and accompaniment (music missing from 1 cantiga) Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
15	Ay ondas, que eu vin veer	1:23			$0.99
Oswald von Wolkenstein Composer Kreuslich geboren, for voice & ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
16	Kreuslich geboren, for voice & ensemble	8:23			$1.49
Anonymous Composer Parlamento Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
17	Parlamento	3:13			$0.99
Oswald von Wolkenstein Composer Ave Mater, for 3 voices, K 116 Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
18	Ave Mater, for 3 voices, K 116	4:45			$0.99
Oswald von Wolkenstein Composer Treib her, treib überher, for voice & ensemble Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
19	Treib her, treib überher, for voice & ensemble	6:04			$0.99
Anonymous, Rossi Codex, Vatican Composer Amor mi fa cantar Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
20	Amor mi fa cantar	3:33			$0.99
Anonymous, Spanish Composer Cantiga de Santa Maria: Maravillosos et piadosos Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
21	Cantiga de Santa Maria: Maravillosos et piadosos	3:49			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Lucente stella Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
22	Lucente stella	3:22			$0.99
Giovanni Da Firenze, (Giovanni de Cascia) Composer Fra mille corvi Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
23	Fra mille corvi	3:36			$0.99
Anonymous, Italian Composer Che ti zova nasconder, ballata Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
24	Che ti zova nasconder, ballata	4:42			$0.99
Beatriz de Dia (aka Comtessa de Dia) Composer Ab joi e ab joven m'apais, song Work Regina Kabis Soprano, Ensemble A Chantar Ensemble
25	Ab joi e ab joven m'apais, song	2:19			$0.99