Wind and Sea
Booklet
The music of Dorival Caymmi and Heitor Villa-Lobos performed with Baroque instruments, singers and Brazilian percussion. Arrangements by Brazilian jazz and MPB pianist David Feldman, made especially for Ensemble PHOENIX.
Unusual, daring and vibrant, WIND AND SEA brings us the work of Brazilian composers Dorival Caymmi and Heitor Villa-Lobos, performed for the first time ever on baroque instruments (viols, archlute, baroque bassoon, baroque guitar), singers and Brazilian percussion. This unforeseen combination, passionately produced and superbly interpreted by ensemble PHOENIX, gives a whole different meaning to the concept of World Music.
Two natives of Rio sign the project: Myrna Herzog - Ensemble PHOENIX's director, well-known in the Early Music scene for her conducting and her performances on the viola da gamba - and David Feldman - a leading Brazilian jazz pianist and composer, one of the most imaginative Brazilian arrangers, performers and producers, deeply acquainted both with Brazilian music as well as with early instruments. Together with the PHOENIX's swinging team, they have created a beguiling album, giving new clothing to the Brazilian masterpieces written by Dorival Caymmi and Villa Lobos.
Wind and Sea is a jewel: among its highlights, Miriam Meltzer's moving rendition of Villa Lobos' Bachianas V - for the first time sang to a consort of viols (instead of celli) - and the first world recording of a Caymmi lullaby.
Dorival Caymmi was a partner to this project, allowing the use of his painting as illustration for the cover, and sending his blessing: 'Myrna, I plead to God the Divine blessing for the protection of this beautiful work you are doing. Wholeheartedly, Dorival Caymmi.'
Concept & Musical direction: Myrna Herzog
Arrangements of Caymmi’s songs by David Feldman.
Arrangements of Villa-Lobos pieces by Myrna Herzog and Isidoro Roitman.
Miriam Meltzer – soprano
Guida Moira – mezzo-soprano
Boaz Davidoff – tenor
Joca Perpignan – baritone & percussion
Myrna Herzog: quinton & bass viol
Lilia Slavni – treble viol
Uri Smilanski – tenor viol
Gio Sthel – tenor viol
Na’ama Yacoby – bass viol
Amit Tiefenbrunn – bass viol
Isidoro Roitman – 14-course archlute & 5-course baroque guitar
Eliahu Feldman – baritone (backvocals)
David Feldman – baritone (backvocals) & percussion
Sound effects in track 3: Brazilian dogs Nega and Fofa with Eliahu, Myrna, Daniel, David and Michel Feldman.
Recording (DAT 24 bit digital) by Eliahu Feldman at Christ Church, Jerusalem, 5,6,7 July and 11 November 2001;
Editing: Ben Bernfeld @Village Music
Cover illustration: Jangadeiro by Dorival Caymmi © 1970, used by kind permission
Cover design: Myrna Herzog
CD
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Reviews
“Myrna, I plead to God the Divine blessing for the protection of this beautiful work you are doing. Wholeheartedly, Dorival Caymmi ”. Blessing of the composer for the project.
"Wind and Sea is a magical new release pairing the sonority of early music and samba rhythms into something sensitive, gentle, and totally unconventional... subtle shades and expressive colors defying classification, like Wind and Sea itself. It is an ethnic-classical music synthesis unique to our time". Harry Rubinstein, The Jerusalem Post, Israel
"While organizing the program of the Metula World Music Festival 2001, I chose to première Myrna Herzog and viol ensemble PHOENIX’s daring project: a homage to Dorival Caymmi and Heitor Villa-Lobos, performed with Baroque instruments, singers and Brazilian percussion. Ensemble PHOENIX’s tasteful playing and loving interpretation of David Feldman’s arrangements indeed proved to be a remarkable event. Not only was it a homage, but also the creation of a magic world of sound, in which this well-known music received a new dimension never before heard". Shlomo Israeli, artistic director of the Metula Word Festival.
“ Highly imaginative ... the four Bachianas Brasileiras sound terrific with viols and they’re very well played”. Early Music Review, UK
"When I first got this CD, I heard it at least 10 times...a day!" Sérgio Moreira Lima, former Brazilian ambassador in Israel
"Le résultat est probant: la viole de gambe de Myrna virevolte à t ravers ces oeuvres populaires qui nous plongent dans l'atmosphère chaleureuse, dansante ou mélancolique du Brésil." L'Écho de la Viole, Bulletin de la Societé Française de Viole.
