The Minstrel

Since its formation in 1987 the Dufay Collective has specialised in colourful, themed recordings – often with a touch of the nudge-nudge, wink-wink about them (Johnny, Cock Thy Beaver; Miri It Is, etc). So 13th-century Paris, with its bawdy mix of persons of all kinds, is natural ground for this group. But not everything is treated as slapstick: the songs by Adam de la Halle and some other pieces are touchingly rendered by a delightful trio of male voices in the latest scholarly fashion (without instruments), and this seems right even in the famous ‘On parole’, a motet with street cries woven in: this work is really an academic parody of the popular style. With the ‘minstrel’ dances and song arrangements we are led into a kind of musical toyshop where bagpipes and many other instruments abound.

This isn't James Galway's most virtuosic CD, but it is still absolutely beautiful and magic…about .1% percent of the time it's a little dull, but the other 99.9% is truly beautiful. I think my favorite thing about this CD is its utter peacefulness and the fluttery, angelic sound of the flute. The Irish classics on this CD don't just have flute accompaniment; there are many other instruments that combine to really make this an "Irish" album. In particular, I really enjoyed the drums, the pipes (can't get enough of them!!!) and the alto flute (slightly more mellow-sounding than the usual flute).