PRESS REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS
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"Música Ficta sings and plays with infectious enthusiasm and flair." Stephen Eddins, AllMusic.com, USA, February 2009 "The quartet performed an act of enchantment... spelling tonight the largest country in the world. Russia wishes the return of Música Ficta." Jorge Petinaud, Latin Press, Moscow, Russia, Dec. 1, 2008 "With its soaring vocals, haunting woodwinds, virtuoso
guitars and harpsichord, Música Ficta takes listeners back
to the Baroque era and before. But there's a twist... and viva the
difference." Susan Vand Dongen, Time Off, Princeton, NJ, USA, July 13, 2007 "A wonderfully diverse collection of music... Jairo Serrano's clear, light tenor voice breathes life into everything he sings. The lively performances of the songs, dances, and other pieces make it easy for the listener to imagine musical life in a South American city 300 years ago. Música Ficta's performances of European music easily stand comparison with the finest early music ensembles, and the rough-hewn syncopated energy of the folk music of the New World is revelatory. The sound is crystalline and present; hearing the singer's breath and the percussive attacks of the plucked strings gives the music real immediacy. Sound: 4.5 Stars. Performance: 4.5 Stars." Stephen Eddins, AllMusic.com, USA, May 2007 "Música Ficta offers a fascinating perspective of
this Apollenean-Dyonisian mixture of the Latin-American baroque,
that musical apotheosis of feast and adoration in which it is difficult
to distinguish adoration of the celestial from the terrestrial.
For the listener, there are many discoveries; the repertoire offered
could well have been searched for in vain, until now. Despite meticulous
detail, the ensemble's performances avoid academic rigidity. There
is good reason for this recording to be nominated for a prize. Erik Daumann, Klassik Magazin (Klassik.com), Germany, March 25, 2007 "...a very pleasing acquaintance with music rarely found
on recordings. ...a quite dramatic soliloquy, artfully and ardently
sung by tenor Jairo Serrano. Música Ficta deserves praise
for its efforts to keep this repertoire alive and striving to present
it in a form as true to its roots as possible. Anyone looking to
explore one of the more interesting but lesser-known corners of
early American music should definitely consider this program." David Vernier, Classics Today, USA, March 2007 "Listeners with a taste for the lively and
exotic will find this music irresistible." Gatens, American Record Guide, USA, Jan.-Feb. 2007 "...this disc is a top proposition, particularly for those
who have an appetite for the unusual." Gerald Fenech, ClassicalNet, England, Jan. 22, 2007 "A superb production... an extremely coherent and specialized ensemble... Vibrant presence and musical sensitivity. One of the best sounds heard among the vast number of recent productions. This CD definitely deserves a place of honor in the media library of the demanding audiophile and the respected enthusiast." Supersonic Pizzicato Award (5 stars
*****) "A superb album... leaves me hankering for more. This
is a first class production all around, one of the best I have heard
this year, and is to be acquired with urgency." (5
stars *****) Steven Ritter, Audiophile Audition, USA, Dec. 2006 5 Stars ***** Musyka21, Poland, July 2006 "A highly recommended CD." Alyson Lewin, The Recorder Magazine, UK, Summer 2005 "A great concert... impeccable technical control... admirable
impression, the full house was enthusiastic." Svein Berg, Tonsbergs Blad, Norway, July 2, 2003 "The overflow audience was moved... the one and a half
hours concert proved too short. Hopefully they will come back." M. I. Méndez Castelar, International Press Japan, Tokyo, Sept. 2001 " Thanks to an accomplished performance, Spanish colonial
music made a belated entry to Singapore and was welcomed with open
arms." Geoffrey Eu, Singapore Business Times, June 16, 2001 "Musica Ficta was delightful for being fresh, different
and unpretentious. It was an ear-washing trip that stood out in
the offerings at the Singapore Arts Festival." Tan Shzr Ee, The Straits Times, Singapore, June 14, 2001 "L'interprétation passionnée de l'ensemble
colombien Musica Ficta confère à cette évocation
de l'Espagne de la Reconquista les couleurs les plus vives." Marc Desmet, Le Monde de la Musique, France, June 2001 "From Bogota, a New World of baroque ... with rhythmic
vitality and a fine sense of color. Vocal music was sung with
style and expressive power." Joseph McLellan, The Washington Post, December 6, 2000 " ...completely at home with the vocal and instrumental
style ...extremely effectively natural rhythmic impetus. ...they
have much to offer." Ivan Moody, Goldberg Magazine, Spain / U.K., No. 11, May-July 2000 "...some flamboyant, rhythmic revelry. ...the quality of musicianship is quite extraordinary. ...one really gets a feel for the driving spirit of early music which from so many performances and recordings has been completely lost." Adam J. Dopadlik, The Recorder Magazine, U.K., June 2000 "Their music exudes... an unaffected clarity far from the sterile outpourings of many European ensembles, a tremendous sense of enjoyment of the performers. ...full of life and vitality..." Adam J. Dopadlik, The Recorder Magazine, UK, March, 1997 "...un concert unique... une découverte." Le Télégramme du Morbihan, France, June 19, 1994
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PRESS REVIEWS GALORE
"With its soaring
vocals, haunting woodwinds, virtuoso guitars and harpsichord, Música
Ficta takes listeners back to the Baroque era and before. But there's
a twist... and viva the difference."
"A wonderfully diverse collection of music... Jairo Serrano's clear, light tenor voice breathes life into everything he sings. The lively performances of the songs, dances, and other pieces make it easy for the listener to imagine musical life in a South American city 300 years ago. Música Ficta's performances of European music easily stand comparison with the finest early music ensembles, and the rough-hewn syncopated energy of the folk music of the New World is revelatory. The sound is crystalline and present; hearing the singer's breath and the percussive attacks of the plucked strings gives the music real immediacy. Sound: 4.5 Stars. Performance: 4.5 Stars."
"Música Ficta offers a fascinating perspective of
this Apollenean-Dyonisian mixture of the Latin-American baroque,
that musical apotheosis of feast and adoration in which it is difficult
to distinguish adoration of the celestial from the terrestrial.
For the listener, there are many discoveries; the repertoire offered
could well have been searched for in vain, until now. Despite meticulous
detail, the ensemble's performances avoid academic rigidity. There
is good reason for this recording to be nominated for a prize.
"...a very pleasing acquaintance with music rarely found
on recordings. ...a quite dramatic soliloquy, artfully and ardently
sung by tenor Jairo Serrano. Música Ficta deserves praise
for its efforts to keep this repertoire alive and striving to present
it in a form as true to its roots as possible. Anyone looking to
explore one of the more interesting but lesser-known corners of
early American music should definitely consider this program."
"Listeners with a taste for the lively and
exotic will find this music irresistible."
"An exciting issue. Performances are not only first rate but also in complete empathy with this very special music domain. The delicate sound quality with some top-notch annotations make this disc a top proposition, particularly for those who have an appetite for the unusual."
"A superb production for enjoying the New World. An extremely coherent and specialized ensemble... Vibrant presence and musical sensitivity. One of the best sounds heard among the vast number of recent productions. This CD definitely deserves a place of honor in the media library of the demanding audiophile and the respected enthusiast." Supersonic Pizzicato Award (5 stars *****)
"A superb album... an elegantly ordered recital with a
taste of just about everything, and it leaves me hankering for more.
This is a first class production all around, one of the best I have
heard this year, and is to be acquired with urgency."
(5 stars *****)
5 Stars *****
"This disc jumps on the fast-moving bandwagon carrying Baroque music from Latin America. Attractive music... a terrific clash of sacred and secular elements. The album's title track is a delightful one. Serrano's diction brings home the sense of the lyrics. A worthwhile entry into the growing library of performances of early music from Latin America." AllMusic Award (****)
"Música Ficta has not lost an inch of its interpretative spontaneity, which is its trademark, and transmits joy and conviction to the listener. Excellent technical quality."
"A fascinating perspective of Peruvian music in the 17th century."
"...the singer carries off effortlessly an interesting array of pyrotechnical sound effects... the recorder is fine and full, the playing energetic, moving effortlessly between sustained phrases and florid passagework. A highly recommended CD."
"Su presentación constituyó el clímax de la edición 2004 del Festival de Música en Otoño. La calidad interpretativa, el cuidadoso perfil del programa y la altísima calidad de cada uno de los ejecutantes dieron un gozo continuo durante toda la velada."
"A great concert... impeccable technical control... admirable impression, the full house was enthusiastic."
"Este espléndido grupo 'me atrapó' y disfruté profundamente su propuesta, cuya interpretación me pareció rica, variada y colorida, pero sobre todo, vital."
"Pero las ovaciones (del Festival Misiones de Chiqutitos) se dieron con Música Ficta. Se comprobó que en este grupo es pecado ser aburrido, fue uno de los espectáculos más aplaudidos durante la fiesta barroca."
"The overflow audience was moved... the one and a half hours concert proved too short. Hopefully they will come back."
"A brave new musical world was breached when the Singapore audience was exposed for the first time to Spanish colonial music from the 17th and 18th centuries. The conclusion? It's only baroque-n-roll but they liked it. This noteworthy discovery came courtesy of Colombian ensemble Música Ficta. The music spoke volumes. Thanks to an accomplished performance, Spanish colonial music made a belated entry to Singapore and was welcomed with open arms."
"Colombian Early Music ensemble Musica Ficta went all out with its small band at the Victoria Concert Hall last night to prove the vitality of Latin-American Baroque music. It was in this twee wonderland that some semblance of a time-capsuled 17th century world was captured by the jaunty, professorial performers. Musica Ficta was delightful for being fresh, different and unpretentious. It was an ear-washing trip that stood out in the offerings at the Singapore Arts Festival."
"L'interprétation passionnée de l'ensemble colombien Musica Ficta confère à cette évocation de l'Espagne de la Reconquista les couleurs les plus vives. L'abondante documentation n'est que le support d'une interprétation déroutante par la vie qui en émane."
"From Bogota, a New World of baroque ...a generous sample
of New World baroque music was presented Monday evening at the Corcoran
Gallery. North American audiences are hardly aware of numerous
and excellent Latin-American baroque composers... as the group's
sparkling performances demonstrated... with rhythmic vitality and
a fine sense of color. Vocal music was sung with style and
expressive power."
"Vale la pena registrar el concierto que la HJCK diera
a sus oyentes en la Catedral Primada con el grupo Música
Ficta. Quizás nunca el inmenso recinto había
allegado tal cantidad de público en un acto no litúrgico.
Fue un gesto emocionante, espontáneo y solidario."
"...all attractively performed. ...what an array
of instruments! Limpid and dulcet voices with a stylistic
penchant of gently skirting the true pitch. With such a variety
of instruments at hand the accompaniments are exotic and haunting.
Excellent notes with texts and translations."
"...an attractive program which shows an interesting originality
of approach to this repertoire. Their performances are characterized
by rhythmic liveliness and transparent textures. ...completely
at home with the vocal and instrumental style ...extremely effectively
natural rhythmic impetus. These songs are exquisitely
crafted traditional pieces, and when they are approached without
artifice, as here, they have much to offer."
"...some flamboyant, rhythmic revelry. ...the quality of musicianship is quite extraordinary. ...one really gets a feel for the driving spirit of early music which from so many performances and recordings has been completely lost. In musicological terms, this recording is a voyage of discovery into uncharted territories. The performances seem right and stylistically correct, just as our fifteenth century forbears would have taken for granted. So when you next visit the record store to buy yet another CD of Vivaldi concerti or Handel sonatas, why not get this recording instead? Go on, treat yourself!"
"Nada qué envidiarle a un proyecto similar de cualquier sello europeo. ...tienen la formación, la experiencia y la autoridad para lograr estos resultados. De nuevo está la seriedad y el profesionalismo de Música Ficta, ahora enfrentando un repertorio aún más complejo y comprometido. ...impecable producción, gran calidad de la interpretación, riqueza y versatilidad en los instrumentos de época, sutilezas en el manejo de voces e instrumentos, ...producto de la investigación musicológica a fondo; cuidadoso manejo de tiempos y ritmos, que han derivado del estudio inteligente de la prosodia y escandación natural de los textos. Nuevamente un disco con calidad y categoría internacional."
"... un trabajo encomiable... hermoso disco... una estética y un marco poético muy sugestivos... dicción clara y expresiva, fundamental para la asimilación de los textos. Un esfuerzo grande realizado con absoluto profesionalismo. Felicitaciones."
"...(the) group of spirited musicians from Colombia played
a program of early Latin American music at the IDBs Washington,
D.C., headquarters that kept toes tapping in the overflow audience."
"El grupo colombiano Música Ficta cerró el Festival de Música Renacentista y Barroca de Chiquitos con broche de oro."
"This recording... is a good reminder that Europe and
North America are not the only places where interesting work is
being done in early music. This disc is especially welcome.
A nicely produced program from a group I'd like to hear more from."
"My first impression... is the overwhelming freshness of their approach. Their music exudes... an unaffected clarity far from the sterile outpourings of many European ensembles, a tremendous sense of enjoyment of the performers. ...full of life and vitality..."
"...un concert unique... une découverte."
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