Leyenda

Ana Alcaide, musician and composer from Toledo, Spain, has created a fusion album celebrating feminine legends worldwide; interesting musical texture informed by northern European instruments such as the amazingly resonant nyckelharpe; some of it is a little heavily orchestrated for my taste

NO FCC issues Favorite tracks: 3, 6, 12

1 – 3:08 – Tlalli – “Earth” in Nuahatl - birds, water, slow drum, eerie sounds

2 – 3:49 –Diosa Luolaien – Chinese legend of the end of matriarchy – sung in Spanish – Celtic sound of strings and drums

*3 – 4:37 --La ondina de vacares – song of water spirits (ondines) in Granada who lure men to their deaths; heavily textured with voice and instruments

4 – 4:07 – Leyenda – slower, waltz time – lyrics about where legends are born – “on the ethereal edge separating truth from illusion”

5 – 4:48 – La Mujer Muerta – slow ballad of two brothers in love with the same woman who dies and becomes a mountain chain by the name of 'Dead Woman'

*6 – 4:04 – Folia de la Primavera – Renaissance-style dance piece; very pretty

7 -5:20—La Lamia de Kobate –about magical, mythical beast from the Basque country – starts out like a cappella Balkan women's singing – strong, close harmony

8 – 5:07 – El Puente de San Martin – heavily orchestrated ballad of a master builder's wife setting fire to a defective bridge; segues into Arab sounding song with matching instruments

9 – 4:53 – Kari Kalas –story of a woman's desire and craving for her lover – layers of voices with soprano keening above it

10- 7:42 – La Esposa Selkie – a female selkie leaves her husband and son to return to the sea – whistles and rocking beat are Celtic-sounding

11 – 4:18 – Elenion – meditative instrumental, waltz time

*12- 3:43-- Akelarre – Basque witches gathering – fast paced, rhythmic, percussive