The Spanish-based Pneuma label has achieved a near-cult following among lovers of early and world music for performances that completely rethink the concept of "authentic performance." Their newest offering is an unexpected treat: the Ensemble Unicorn under the direction of Michael Posch in a program of South German music of the Middle Ages. Posch has taken a completely fresh and innovative approach to the performance of these works, seeking to broaden their appeal through dramatic and improvisatory performance, based in part on medieval poetry having been "composed" for singing and performance. The program gathers a broad selection of poetry from the Middle Ages linked to the South Tyrol, the region surrounding the Alps that was of enormous importance to the propagation of literature during the era. |