Estevan Daca
“El Parnasso” (1576)
Various Performers
Arcana
B+
The aging Daca, with his Renaissance villancicos and fantasias, tries to play the lute like a Stratocaster in El Parnasso. It’s like Bob Dylan trying to rap – a commendable effort but slightly off the mark. However, the attempt to modernize the 16th-century tunes is laudable. There’s a certain charm in the awkwardness, like a grandpa at a rave – out of place, but you can’t help smiling.
In these recordings, the performers seem to be channeling more of Keith Richards than Julian Bream. The energy is infectious but occasionally veers into the realm of chaos, like a bull in a china shop doing the flamenco. But hey, would we prefer another sterile, reverence-dripping performance? Probably not. Daca’s El Parnasso is the classical equivalent of punk rock – messy, loud, but undeniably alive.
