Recess! Media

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That’s Olivier Marcaud singing the last part of his “La Berceuse d’Angela” from a new CD from Elipses Arts, “Mother Earth Lullaby.” This is another superb addition to their remarkable series of recordings of the many loving cradle songs that are sung around the world. Marcaud’s lullaby, though it’s brand new, is done in the style of a Medieval chant. Other songs draw on the rich singing traditions of Africa and Russia, Ireland and Spain. A hymn to Cibele the ancient Italian Mother goddess is, to quote the liner notes, “a lullaby to give hope to future generations to return to respecting the earth and all humanity.” Bernardo Palumbo offers this tender Mexican serenade to a child who is “loveliest among flowers”:

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Most of these are contemporary lullabies, but they are all timeless art songs for infants, and some of them — like “Suenos de Milonga” from Argentina — don’t need any words at all.