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They Sing Shakespeare's Love Child B Natural Productions (LC-0505) In this, their first CD, the trio known as Shakespeare's Love Child creates a rich, vibrant, and entertaining album with English madrigals (poems written in vernacular that were then set to music and sung in either two or three parts) from the Elizabethan and early Jacobean eras. All the songs on this CD were written by the most popular composers of the day, such as Orlando di Lassus (1532-1594) and Thomas Morley (1557-1602). Shakespeare's Love Child performs these pieces with conviction and deference for the material. The seamless blend and beautiful tone of their voices create mellifluous renditions of these timeless tunes. The timbre of the soprano (Dayna Jean Wolter) and alto (Becca Shaffner) are rich and lovely while Bruce Dehkes, Jr.'s bass voice is resonant, distinct, and wonderfully deep-toned. Besides the period madrigal pieces are two modern songs, including "The Widow & The Devil." Although written in 1997, it has the feel of a traditional folk ballad. The piece is quite amusing and the vocals convey this sense of fun while the rhythmic striking of a bodhran drives the beat. The song describes how a widow outwits the Devil with her sexual stamina. This bawdy tale ends with the Devil's pathetic lament, "Of all the torment I've witnessed of in hell, I never knew what pain was till I rang your front door bell!" The second modern piece is "Bonny Portmore," a song popularized by the Highlander TV show. The trio's tight arrangement is exceptional here and the stormy weather sound effects enhance the song's melancholy theme. The only problem with this CD is the song "The Widow's Inn Revisited," in which the ensemble sings over a noisy dinner crowd that drowns out the song and goes on for way too long. Shakespeare's Love Child was named Best New Act for 2001 at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, and it is easy to see why. Their joy and command of madrigal singing is evident in every crisp and captivating note. As long as they continue to perform this kind of expressive music, the trio will undoubtedly become an enduring favorite with both faire audiences and period music fans alike. Shakespeare would have been proud to claim this "love child" as his own. --Ian Rotondi

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