EDITOR'S CHOICE sorrow and JOY -, —the magnificent

Figueras is in 'Lux feminae Al-Andalus Gar kom lebate __ -soy Judicii Signum. Nina y Vina.Y _me soy l morenica. Hal sabil likhalwa. Aurtxo txikia negarrez. Saeta antigua Cárceres Soleta so jo aci. Soleta i Verge estich Codax Ondas do mar Codex de las Huelgas Flavit auster Miraval Estat ai en greu cossirier Moxica Alma, buscarte has en Mi Sefardi Plany d'Estelina Montserrat Figueras rngr ensemble Alia Vox (P . AVSA9847 (71' • ODD • T/t) Monserrat Figueras has made a huge and unexpected contribution to our enjoyment and understanding of early music. Here, on her 67th recording, the theme of femininity is explored and analysed under seven headings: Antiquity, Middle Ages, the joyful, playful Maiden, the Mystic (Teresa of Avila), the Lover, the Mother and the Sorrowful Dolorosa.

If I label the end product magnificent, it might be an understatement. The lavish booklet alone runs to 160 pages, with analyses by the singer as well as full texts and translations. On every second page there is a colour reproduction of a masterpiece by such artists as Perugino, Caravaggio, da Vinci and Michelangelo.

But what of the music? Splendidly recorded, Figueras and a small group of discreet instrumentalists (flutes, plucked and bowed strings, rehab, harp and percussion) demonstrate aspects of femininity from a rich repertoire of Spanish music.

Figueras is in her element. She can be dramatic or passionate, facetious or sorrowful; a young girl who wants her freedom and is only restrained with difficulty, and a saintly soul in a mystical union with God. I enjoyed Autxo txikia negarrez, the picture of mum cooking eggs and pancake for herself and her baby while dad gambles in the pub. Then, in a quite different vein, there is Ondas do mar where the loved one longs for her absent lover, speaking to the waves on the incoming tide. This is most beautifully sung in a highly ornamental style. Figueras's versatility is remarkable. Highly recommended. Mary Berry