University of York Music Press

The songs in Canciones Lunáticas are based on a set of texts by Mexican poet Pedro Serrano; these poems are closely related in their imagery to the moon, the night and darkness but these form two distinct parts: the physical (of the landscape itself), and the metaphysical (of the human soul). Marc Bridle's review in Opera Today describes the performance of Paredes' work as "just outstanding". Bridle notes that "it’s the sound of the quartet here which gives substance to the madness in the text – extended instrumental techniques in the strings that add to the idea of fear and a kind of psychosis in noise", adding that "the drama of Arditti’s singing was really quite remarkable". The full review can be accessed here.