Reviews

“'Treasure-hoard' might do to describe Saturday night’s program. It is difficult to imagine much better guides to this daunting yet uncannily captivating music than these musicians. . . . Everything was brilliantly and sensitively sung, and was fashioned into a program that was a rare combination of ingenious design and seeming naturalness of progression from one piece to the next.”

“The singing is responsible, tasteful, and unfailingly artistic, with lovely balancing and blending of voices. Those who may regret the dismantling of Anonymous 4 would do well now to embrace Liber unUsualis—and be much the better off for doing so. This plucky little ensemble is a treasure to nurture.”

“The young artists of Liber unUsualis…show a real vocal virtuosity.… Their voices are ideally beautiful and their refined interpretation is full of panache in a musical genre not seen very often.… Truly bliss for the ear.”

“This group struck a well-nigh perfect balance between academic authenticity and heart-warming expressiveness. Their vocal style is neither raucous nor over-cultivated, and it has all the agility of sean-nós. They sing intently to each other, but in a way that deeply involves their audience.”

“The trio was absolutely on top of their game, executing even the most floridly ornamented passages in tight sync with a pure sound and centered pitch.… They sang with pure, controlled sounds and performed in a communicative, thoughtful style, handling the music not as a precious antique but as something vital and fascinating.... They created a musically heartfelt performance that was rich in musical and historical details.”

"This disc might have been titled 'Machaut the Sensualist', for that's the way the singers of Liber unUsualis approach this 14th-century master's music. It's not so much the Boston-based a cappella trio's rich tone that creates this impression as the care with which they unfold the music's extensive and often intricately coiled melodic tendrils. The effect is deeply expressive.... Liber unUsualis imbue this music with...nobility and grace. The effect is ravishing.... A most impressive recording." - Gramophone (UK)

"This is a superb rendition of 12 pieces by Guillaume de Machaut and his circle, using exactly as many voices as needed without any instruments at all. One ballade, J'aim miex languir, receives its first recording, a cause for rejoicing, given this level of accomplishment.... The familiar double ballade of Andrieu in memory of Machaut receives its best recording since Ensemble P.A.N.'s of 15 years ago, improving on that excellent version by omitting its vielle and lute. Some of the remaining pieces are a distinct improvement over anything previously recorded.... The motets as a group are generally superior to anything heard in the past.... This disc has at least four unimpeachable reasons to acquire it, along with uniformly superior performances on the rest of the disc.... They have paid attention to all the current issues in performance practice, including Pythagorean tuning, linear voicing, period-specific pronunciation, and handling untexted melodic lines sensibly. Things don't get much better than this, as far as records go." - Fanfare

"Warm and compelling.... The precision of their voices...will have you crying in your goblet." - Providence Phoenix (US)

"They do justice to their name. They take risks with this repertoire.... The intonation and union are perfect in this group.... The ductility [flexibility] of the two female voices was reminiscent of the intonation and precision of the members of Anonimus 4.... A perfect balance." - Goldberg Magazine (Spain)

"The singers of Liber unUsualis...do justice to the elegance of Machaut's music and texts. In various pairings, the singers are matched effectively, never dominating each other but performing in perfect ensemble.... Their attempt at performing in the tuning system of the 14th century.... As well as their careful pronunciation of Medieval French and Latin, speaks to the group's historical integrity." - Early Music America Magazine

"Without a doubt an unusual trio.... The vitality and power of their song and the musicality with which they approach the pieces catches the ear of the listener.... It was a very attractive experience" - La Vanguardia (Spain)

"Elegant and spot-on.... Flowing and ethereal...a hair-trigger sensitivity to what the words had to say.... Deeply moving. " - The Boston Globe

"Full-voiced purity.... Sung with immaculate diction and delivered with focused attention to the text's meaning.... Most surprising about this music were the heartfelt emotions coming not only from the singers, but the music itself." - Birmingham News (Alabama)

"Strong, vibrant voices that are nonetheless keenly focused, an essential for tuning.... Remarkable, strong texts joined to unexpectedly passionate music."

"...Liber unUsualis, three young singers from Boston whose programme centered around secular music by Guillaume de Machaut, which they executed with paradoxically cool panache." - Wilfred Mellers

"Performed with authority...exciting!"