…Juan Sancho offers elegant interpretations of these Spanish love songs, filled with infectious melodies and rhythms…the sequel is as good or better. © 2013 American Record Guide Read complete review on American Record Guide

In his liner-notes José Ángel Vilas Rodriguez sums up the features of the tonos humanos: “precise and regular rhythms, clear melodies and harmonies aiding textual articulation, a tendency towards syllabic style, an absence of Italianate virtuosic vocal ornamentation and limited use of freer, recitative-like passages”. A example of recitative-like episodes is to be found in the opening lines of Manda la piedad divina. The strophic texture also implies that it is impossible to depict every single word in the music. Even so it is striking to hear how well the music fits the text. It is up to the interpreters to perform the songs in such a way that the content and the mood of every stanza is communicated to the listener. Some songs are quite theatrical, such as Hidalgo’s Ay de mi dolor, especially the refrain.

Juan Sancho, Eligio Luis Quinteiro and Manual Vilas do a great job in this respect. Through differentiation in tempo and dynamics and a truly rhetorical treatment of the text they manage to convey the expression of the various songs in a most eloquent manner. The subjects of these songs may often be more or less the same—the trials and tribulations of love—, but there is much differentiation in the way it is treated, both in text and music. That is well reflected in the way these three artists perform this repertoire. Among the highlights are Hidalgo’s La noche tenebrosa, ¿Amante ausente y triste? by either Hidalgo or José Marin and the anonymous Yo joven.

Songs like these are relatively unknown. That makes this disc most welcome. I urge every reader to explore this repertoire. This disc is full of gems, and I am pretty sure that once you have heard them you will be longing for more. © 2012 MusicWeb International Read complete review