Ramirez Misa Criolla ^a. Navidad en Verano ^b. Navidad Nuestra ^c. ^ab Jose Carreras (ten); Ariel Ramirez ( ^b pf, ^a hpd): Coral Salve de Laredo; Sociedad Coral de Bilbao; instrumental ensemble / ^a Jose Luis Ocajo, ^c Damian Sanchez.

Philips 6 420 955-1PH: (Cassette) 420 955-4PH; (CD) 420 955-2PH (44 minutes: DDD). Texts and translations included.

Philips first recorded Ariel Ramirez's Misa Criolla shortly after its composition in 1964; it went on to become one of their best-selling discs—some three million copies have apparently been sold to date. However, a new digital recording was perhaps understandable for so popular a work and Jose Carreras an obvious choice of soloist.

Ariel Ramirez, born in 1921, draws on the metres and rhythms of Latin-American music, and employs dance forms from Argentina, Bolivia and Peru; it is music that is heartwarmingly approachable, of a light, devotional kind. In trying to characterize it I was reminded of parts of Orff's Carmina burana and Britten's church parables, though here the accompaniment to soloists and chorus is provided by varying instrumental combinations including, besides percussion, a guitar, accordion, five-string charango and various other Latin-American folk instruments. Only the Navidad en Verano has purely solo piano accompaniment (here played by the composer), representing something of an intrusion into the otherwise more brightly coloured sound to be heard on the disc. Nothing better exemplifies the variety to be heard in the Misa Criolla, though, than the way it ranges from the Gloria, with its hints of South American carnival, to the final Agnus Dei with harpsichord accompaniment.

The solo vocal part calls for no great virtuosity or intensity, but it is ideally suited to Carreras's light, lyrical tenor. His admirers will need no encouragement, of course, and others too should find this music offers an undemanding and rewarding experience.

Copyright © 1988 Gramophone Magazine.