# Esther's Lamandier & ensemble Unicor are mezmerizing & pure magic i am cathegoric!



## deprofundis (Apr 25, 2014)

*Esther's Lamandier & ensemble Unicor are mezmerizing & pure magic i am cathegoric!*

I have two albums done or conducted by Lamandier's
What else can i possible says , that was not said, her
interpretation and the instrumental work that goes whit it
is intemporel delight, your there a second and zaam!
Your catapulted gently into foreign lore.

First album _Cantigas santa-maria,_ ockay this one i like but less than_ Decameron,_ this is my second cd spin and im listening, since we all know , how at night whit decent headphones, we can here music whiteout distraction of common day noise pollution, since people sleep.

So too go in the depth , the music sounded like fairytale-ish, enchanting, mind blowings, sure i have the excellent Decameron music of Boccacio time whit ensemble Unicorn but i would says both remain interresting for different reason, one is more ancient has is own flavor , interpretation, good interpret, singer & ensemble same goes whit Unicorn ensemble but they emphasis on instrumental instead of vocal peformance.

What about Cantigas Santa-Maria of El-Sabio fame well i preffer the unicorn very over other version even Lamandier quite soulful rendition.But perhaps i hadden heard it enought or it's just me.Lasty i dont wont to b man but Jordi Savall Cantiga santa-maria average in my eyes.

I hope you enjoy reading this, has mutch has i enjoy written it , for you guys :tiphat:


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## Marinera (May 13, 2016)

Thanks for the post deprofundis, Esther Lamandier's a new find for me, haven't heard anything of hers before I think. 

I listened to excerpts from Lamandier's Cantigas and Decameron and I seriously like them both very much so far. I couldn't say I'd prefer her Decameron over cantigas, both sound wonderful - Lamandier's like a nightingale of early music. It's a pity there are no new re-issues.

Update: Decameron reminds me of a tapestry - something quirky, intricate with an intriguing mystery, like the myths that are weaved in them, which is reflected in melodies. Cantigas de Santa Maria are more direct, like court vs. country, but both otherworldly.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Decameron is a wonderful album. I have it on vinyl that I bought back in the day, more years ago than I care to remember. I must track it down in a digital copy. Thanks Deprofundis for the reminder.

Ah, I see I bought it in September 1980.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

When I was about 10 years old, I found myself in Jerusalem one dusk, walking from the new city to Jaffa Gate. As the light declined, a muezzin started to sing through a PA system. It was a formative waking dream experience for me. Anyway, that memory comes back in an involuntary way through listening to this extraordinary recording of Armenian chant by Esther Lamandier, whose voice seems to be full of purity and intensity, oneiric like that Palestinian muezzin.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

deprofundis said:


> I have two albums done or conducted by Lamandier's
> What else can i possible says , that was not said, her
> interpretation and the instrumental work that goes whit it
> is intemporel delight, your there a second and zaam!
> ...


Actually I'm not sure you'll find a better recording of the cantigas, her voice is so special, she's a joy to hear IMO. Unicorn is so different, like chalk and cheese. In fact I prefer Lamandier's more austere approach to instrumentation, and her way of forming notes with her voice.

(The sounds that Unicorn make come out of their mouths is very distinctive, somewhere between a classical lieder singer and a folk singer, I mean that as a complement, I wonder where they got their ideas about singing from.)

(My favourite Cantigas recording is from Theatrum Instrumentorum)

( I'm quite curious about Spanish music at the moment partly because I may follow a course on it next year. You should come to Europe and walk the Camino. )


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