Missa Mexicana [Import]

"New Spain" comes roaring to life on Missa Mexicana. The disc's mainstay is a Mass setting by Juan Gutiirez de Padilla, who was appointed maestro de capella at Mexico's Puebla Cathedral in 1629. Although Padilla was born in Andaluca, his work came to embrace Mexico: the rhythms of its dances, the exuberance of its song, and the textures of its popular instrumental ensembles (complete with guitars, percussion, and shawms). Padilla was not a pioneer in this regard; at the time, Spain's sacred music was also greatly influenced by secular sounds. But perhaps the greatest draw of this repertoire, as Andrew Lawrence-King shows off so well, is the tight interweaving of European, Native, and African cultures in Padilla's Mexico, and how he and his contemporaries utilized all of these cultural streams in their own work. Bolstered by an array of other compositions of the age, Lawrence-King makes a strong case for 17th-century Mexico as a cultural crossroads, not merely as a remote outpost of Spanish influence. One prime example is Santiago de Murcia's "Cumbes," with its call-and-response vocals, delicate, mbira-like instrumental interlude, and earthy drumbeat recalling West African music. Another is Padilla's own Christmastime negrilla, "A siolo flasiquiyo," which invites worshipers to dance the guacambe, canario, and villano to celebrate the Messiah's coming. As on his other recordings, harpist and conductor Andrew Lawrence-King has brought together a host of today's most respected early music specialists for this trip to Mexico, including soprano Ellen Hargis, bass Paul Hillier, and gamba player Hille Perl. Lawrence-King himself performs on the Spanish harp, organ, and psaltery. As one might expect from such a gathering, the ensemble is top notch, in both technical expertise and musicianship. The singers (and instrumentalists) are equally comfortable in both Missa Mexicana's religious and earthly spheres, moving from a Gloria to a bawdy song with ease. --Anastasia Tsioulcas