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The four elements

[I] "Water Music - Tales of Nymphs and Sirens"
Capella de la Torre
Dir: Katharina Bäuml
rec: [n.d.], Auhausen (D), Klosterkirche
deutsche harmonia mundi - 88875062002 (© 2015) (75'38")
Liner-notes: E/D; lyrics - translations: E/D
Cover & track-list
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Lorenzo ALLEGRI (1567-1648): Quinto ballo detto le ninfe di Senna à 5 [18]; anon: Les nymphes de la Grenouillère à 5; Jacques ARCADELT (1507-1568): Il bianco e dolce cigno à 4 [2]; Fabritio CAROSO (c1530-1610): Pavana & Gagliarda Laura Suave à 4 [13]; Giovanni GHIZZOLO (1580-1625): Canto di Serene - Riposta di Nettuno à 3 [15]; Orlando GIBBONS (1583-1625): The Silver Swan à 5 [16]; Anthony HOLBORNE (1545-1602): The fruit of love [12]; The Funerals [12]; Robert JOHNSON (1583-1634): Full fathom five à 2 [19]; JOSQUIN DESPREZ (c1455-1521): In exitu Israel a 4 (1. parte) [1]; Nymphes, nappés - Circumdederunt me a 6 [4]; Orlandus LASSUS (1532-1594): Super flumina Babylonis a 4 [7]; Luca MARENZIO (1556-1599): Ad una fresca riva à 3 [8]; Chi dal delfino à 6 [10]; Thomas MORLEY (1557-1602): Besides a fountain a 4 [11]; Bacio MOSCHINI (16th C): Ecco, signor il Tebro à 5 [3]; Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621): Branle Philou a 4 [17]; Orazio VECCHI (1550-1605): Gitene ninfe à 5 [9]; Tomás Luis DE VICTORIA (1548-1611): Ave maris stella a 4 [6]; Missa pro defunctis a 6 (Versa est in luctum) [14]; Johannes VOGT (*1953): Canto; Adrian WILLAERT (1490-1562): Passa la nave à 6 (1. parte) [5]

Sources: [1] Johannes Otto, ed., Novum et insigne opus musicum, 1537; [2] Jacques Arcadelt, Il primo libro de' madrigali à 4 voci, 1539; [3] Antonio Gardano, ed., Musiche fatte delle nozze, 1539; [4] Tilman Susato, ed., Le septiesme livre de chansons, 1545; [5] Adrian Willaert, Musica Nova, 1559; [6] Tomás Luis de Victoria, Hymni totius anni, 1581; [7] Orlandus Lassus, Sacrae cantiones quatuor vocum, 1585; [8] Luca Marenzio, Il terzo libro delle villanelle, 1585; [9] Orazio Vecchi, Selva di Varia Ricreatione, 1590; [10] Cristofano Malvezzi, ed., Intermedii e concerti, 1591; [11] Thomas Morley, Madrigals to four voices, 1594; [12] Anthony Holborne, Pavans, Galliards and Almains, 1599; [13] Fabritio Caroso, Nobilità di dame, 1600; [14] Tomás Luis de Victoria, Officium defunctorum, 1605; [15] Giovanni Ghizzolo, Madrigali et Arie, Libro secondo, 1610; [16] Orlando Gibbons, The First Set of Madrigals and Mottets of 5 Parts, 1612; [17] Michael Praetorius, Terpsichore Musarum Aoniarum, 1612; [18] Lorenzo Allegri, Il primo libro delle Musiche, 1618; [19] John Wilson, ed., Cheerfull Ayres or Ballads, 1659

Cécile Kempenaers, soprano; Benno Schachtner, alto; Birgit Bahr, Hildegard Wippermann, recorder, shawm; Katharina Bäuml, shawm; Falko Munkwitz, sackbut; Regina Hahnke, dulcian; Johannes Vogt, lute, theorbo; Hartmut Rohmeyer, organ; Peter A. Bauer, percussion

[II] "Fire Music - Infernal Flames and Celestial Blaze"
Capella de la Torre
Dir: Katharina Bäuml
rec: Nov 10 - 12, 2015, Berlin, RBB (Kleiner Sendesaal)
deutsche harmonia mundi - 88985360302 (© 2016) (71'02")
Liner-notes: E/D; lyrics - translations: E/D
Cover & track-list
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anon: Ardente sole [6]; Chi vuol seguir la guerra [10]; Ciaconna di Paradiso e d'Inferno [16]; Mundi renovatio; Pour faire l'arlkymie d'amours; William BYRD (1543-1623): Memento homo [5]; Giles FARNABY (1563-1640): Sometimes she would [12]; Mateo FLECHA (1481-1553): El Fuego [7]; Giovanni GHIZZOLO (1580-1625): Io mi vivea [14]; Anthony HOLBORNE (1545-1602): Infernum (PGA 21) [13]; Robert de LA RUE (fl 1530): Au feu d'amours; Orlandus LASSUS (1532-1594): In un boschetto novo [3]; Luca MARENZIO (1553/54-1599): Qual vive salamandra in fiamma ardente [8]; Giovanni Domenico DA NOLA (1510-1592): Amor m'ha fatto deventar fenice [4]; Diego ORTIZ (1510-1570): La Folía [2]; Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621): Ballet des feus (TMA 279) [15]; Bransle de la torche (TMA 15) [15]; Bartolomeo DE TROMBONCINO (1470-1535): Non va l'acqua al mio gran fuoco [1]; Tomás Luis DE VICTORIA (1548-1611): Veni creator spiritus [9]; Pietro VINCI (1525-1584): Sappi Signor [11]

Sources: [1] Ottaviano Petrucci, ed., Frottole libro primo, 1504; [2] Diego Ortiz, Trattado de glosas sobre clausulas y otros generos de puntos en la musica de violones, 1553; [3] Orlandus Lassus, Secondo libro delle muse, madrigali ... con una canzone del Petrarca, 1557; [4] Giovanni Domenico da Nola, Il primo libro delle villanelle alla Napolitana, 1570; [5] Thomas Tallis/William Byrd, Cantiones, quae ab argumento sacrae vocantur, 1575; [6] Fabritio Caroso, ed., Il Ballarino, 1581; [7] Mateo Flecha, Ensaladas, 1581; [8] Luca Marenzio, Il primo libro de madrigali a sei voci, 1581; [9] Tomás Luis de Victoria, Hymni totius anni secundum sanctae romanae ecclesiae consuetudinem, una cum 4 psalmis, pro praecipuis festivitatibus, 1581; [10] Angelo Gardano, ed., Il primo libro delle laude spirituali a 3 voci, 1583; [11] Pierre Phalèse, ed., Musica divina, 1583; [12] Giles Farnaby, Canzonets to four voices, 1598; [13] Anthony Holborne, Pavans, Galliards and Almains, 1599; [14] Giovanni Ghizzolo, Madrigali et Arie, Libro primo, 1609; [15] Michael Praetorius, Terpsichore Musarum Aoniarum, 1612; [16] Carlo Francesco Rolla, ed., Canzonette spirituali, e morali, 1657

Cécile Kempenaers, soprano; Markus Brutscher, tenor; Matthias Gerchen, Matthias Lutze, bass; Hildegard Wippermann, recorder, shawm; Annette Hils, recorder, dulcian; Birgit Bahr, Katharina Bäuml, shawm; Regina Hahnke, dulcian; Falko Munkwitz, sackbut; Johannes Vogt, Ulrich Wedemeier, lute; Martina Fiedler, organ; Peter A. Bauer, Mike Turnbull, percussion

[III] "Air Music - Tales of Flying Creatures and Heavenly Breezes"
Capella de la Torre
Dir: Katharina Bäuml
rec: Oct 24 - 27, 2016, Baden Baden, Hans Rosbaud Studio
deutsche harmonia mundi - 19075856342 (© 2019) (65'46")
Liner-notes: E/D; lyrics - translations: E/D
Cover & track-list
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anon: Aquila altera; Il est de bonne heure né [1]; Westron Wynde; Thoinot ARBEAU (1519-1595): Canarie [3]; Thomas CAMPION (1567-1620): The peaceful western wind [12]; Girolamo FRESCOBALDI (1583-1643): Se l'aura spira (F 7.15) [13]; Anthony HOLBORNE (1545-1602): Galliard The sighes (PGA 18) [6]; Pavana [6]; Robert JONES (1577-1615): Farewell fond youth [8]; Pierre de LA RUE (1460-1518): Autant en emporte le vent; Luca MARENZIO (1553-1599): Nuova angioletta sovra l'ale accorta [4]; Claudio MONTEVERDI (1567-1643): Dolci miei sospiri (SV 242) [7]; Dolcissimo uscignolo (SV 161) [14]; Alessandro OROLOGIO (1551-1633): Dammi la mano [5]; Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621): Ballet de Bouteille [11]; Canarie [11]; Thomas RAVENSCROFT (1593-1635): Canst thou love [10]; The wind blows out of the West [9]; Cipriano DE RORE (1515-1565): Nell'aria in questi di; Ludwig SENFL (1490-1543): Laudate Dominum omnes gentes [2]; John SHEPPARD (1515-1558): Missa The Western Wynde (Gloria)

Sources: [1] Ottaviano Petrucci, ed., Canti C Numero Cento Cinquanta, 1504; [2] Clemens Stephani, ed., Cantiones Triginta Selectissimae, 1568; [3] Thoinot Arbeau, Orchesographie, 1589; [4] Luca Marenzio, Madrigali a quattro voci, 1592; [5] Alessandro Orologio, Canzonette a tre voci, libro secondo, 1594; [6] Anthony Holborne, Pavans, Galliards and Almains, 1599; [7] Claudio Monteverdi, Scherzi musicali a tre voci, 1607; [8] Robert Jones, A Musicall Dreame, 1609; Thomas Ravenscroft, [9]Pammelia, 1609; [10] Melismata, 1611; [11] Michael Praetorius, Terpsichore Musarum Aoniarum Quinta, 1612; [12] Thomas Campion, The Second Booke of Ayres, 1613; [13] Girolamo Frescobaldi, Primo libro d'arie musicali, 1630; [14] Claudio Monteverdi, Ottavo libro de madrigali, 1638

Margaret Hunter, Hanna Zumsande, soprano; Hildegard Wippermann, recorder, shawm; Annette Hils, recorder, dulcian; Katharina Bäuml, shawm; Tural Ismayilov, Falko Munkwitz, sackbut; Johannes Vogt, Ulrich Wedemeier, lute, theorbo; Martina Fiedler, organ; Peter A. Bauer, percussion

[IV] "Earth Music - Tales of Silver, Gold and Subterranean Secrets"
Capella de la Torre
Dir: Katharina Bäuml
rec: Feb 24 - 28, 2020, Berlin, RBB (Kleiner Sendesaal)
deutsche harmonia mundi - 19439779232 (© 2020) (69'22")
Liner-notes: E/D; lyrics - translations: E/D
Cover, track-list & booklet
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anon: Der Hund mir vor dem Liecht umbgaht [1]; Estevão DE BRITO (1570-1641): Lucis Creator optime; William BYRD (1532-1623): Terra tremuit [11]; Sethus CALVISIUS (1556-1615): Wenn mein Stündlein vorhanden ist [8]; Francesco CAVALLI (1602-1676): Missa pro defunctis a 8 (Introitus); Guillaume COSTELEY (1530-1606): La terre les eaux va buvant [4]; Melchior FRANCK (1579-1639): Das Bergwerk woll'n wir preisen [10]; Giovanni GABRIELI (1554-1612): Jubilate Deo a 10 (C 65) [13]; Giovanni GASTOLDI (1553-1609): Amor vittorioso a 5 [6]; Jacobus HANDL-GALLUS (1550-1591): Vae nobis [5]; Anthony HOLBORNE (1545-1602): Lullaby [9]; The Image of Melancholly [9]; JOSQUIN DESPREZ (1450/55-1521): Plaine de dueil et de melancolye [2]; Stefano LANDI (1587-1639): Passacaglia della vita (Bisogna morire) [15]; Cristofano MALVEZZI (1547-1599): Sinfonia à 6 [7]; Isaac POSCH (1591-1622): Gagliarda [14]; Michael PRAETORIUS (1571-1621): Bransle de Lorraine [12]; Heinrich SCHÜTZ (1585-1672): Domini est terra a 24 (SWV 476); O der großen Wundertaten (SWV 278); Tilman SUSATO (1510-1570): Mille ducas [3]

Sources: [1] Christian Egenolf, ed., Gassenhawerlin und Reutterliedlin, 1535; Tilman Susato, ed., [2] Le septiesme livre de chansons, 1545; [3] Het derde musyck boexken ... alderhande danserye, 1551; [4] Guillaume Costeley, Musique de Guillaume Costeley, 1570; [5] Jacobus Handl-Gallus, Secundus Tomus Operis Musici, 1587; [6] Giovanni Gastoldi, Balletti a cinque voci, 1591; [7] Giacomo Vincenti, ed., Intermedii et concerti, fatti per la Commedia rappresentata in Firenze nelle nozze del serenissimo Don Ferdinando Medici, e Madama Christiana di Loreno, gran duchi di Toscana, 1591; [8] Sethus Calvisius, Harmoniae Cantionum Ecclesiasticarum, 1597; [9] Anthony Holborne, Pavans, Galliards and Almains, 1599; [10] Melchior Franck, Musicalischer Bergkreyen, 1602; [11] William Byrd, Gradualia seu cantionum sacrarum, liber secundus, 1607; [12] Michael Praetorius, Terpsichore Musarum Aoniarum, 1612; [13] Giovanni Gabrieli, Symphoniae sacrae, liber secundus, 1615; [14] Isaac Posch, Musicalische Tafelfreudt, das ist Allerley neuer Paduanen und Gagliarden, a 5, desgleichen Intraden und Couranten, 1621; [15] Carlo Francesco Rolla, ed., Canzonette spirituali, e morali, 1657

Margaret Hunter, Mi-Young Kim, soprano; Susanne Langner, Hildegard Rützel, contralto; Minsub Hong, Volker Arndt, tenor; Matthias Lutze, Jonathan de La Paz Zaens, bass; Almut Schlicker, Rahel Mai, violin; Friederike Otto, cornett; Hildegard Wippermann, recorder, shawm; Katharina Bäuml, shawm; Birgit Bahr, shawm, dulcian; Gerd Schnackenberg, Falko Munkwitz, Yosuke Kurihara, Tural Ismayilov, sackbut; Annette Hils, Regina Hahnke, Moni Fischalek, dulcian; Johannes Vogt, Ulrich Wedemeier, theorbo; Martina Fiedler, organ; Mike Turnbull, Peter A. Bauer, percussion

Between 2014/15 (the recording dates of the first disc are not given) and 2020, the Capella de la Torre, under the direction of Katharina Bäuml, recorded four discs whose titles refer to the four elements, that - according to ancient Greek philosophy - everything was made up of: earth, water, air, and fire. It came into being in the fifth century B.C., and later Aristotle embraced and extended it. This idea held its ground well into the 18th century. It was connected to the pathology of the humours, which explains illness on the basis of humores, the Latin term for fluids. "The macrocosm of the universe is perfectly mirrored and reproduced in the microcosm of the individual human being. In this way, a planet and a bodily fluid are ascribed to each of the four elements" (Peter Schmucker, in booklet to "Air Music").

Considering the importance of this idea of the four elements, it is only logical to assume it has left its mark in products of culture, such as the visual arts, literature and music. I am sure that books have been written on this matter, but I doubt whether these have been used to put together the programmes recorded by the Capella de la Torre. Often the connection between the music and the respective elements is rather loose, or at least very indirect. The first volume is indicative. The first vocal item is a madrigal by Adrian Willaert, Passa la nave, whose text says: "Laden with oblivion, one winter's midnight, my ship sails the rough seas between Scylla and Charybdis; at the helm sits my lord and master, who is become my enemy". Obvivously, this has little to do with water as one of the elements. One cannot simply connect every piece that refers to water, sea or rivers to the idea of the four elements. Without the latter, the same text would have been set to music. And, staying with the first disc, Psalm 136 (137), Super flumina Babylonis (Orlandus Lassus, performed here instrumentally), opens with the line "Over the waters of Babylon, there we sat and wept, as we reminisced about Sion". However, the waters of Babylon are merely a pars pro toto for the land of Babylon, best-known for its main rivers Euphrates and Tigris.

The (lack of) connection between the music and the concept of the four elements is one of the main issues of this project. The other has to do with the line-up of the ensemble. Its members play wind instruments of the renaissance and the early 17th century, plus plucked instruments, organ and percussion. This results in performances which are sometimes unhistorical or at least very debatable. Let's have a look at the four discs in more detail.

The first is called "Water Music" [I]. I have already mentioned some pieces in the programme. It opens with a dance from Michael Praetorius' Terpsichore. Pieces from this important collection turn up in all four discs. Here the use of wind instruments is the most appropriate. That goes for most of the instrumental items. It was only in the course of the 17th century that composers started to explicitly write for specific instruments, such as the violin. That does not mean that the performers have unlimited freedom, as we will see later. Here the Pavana & Gagliarda Laure Suave by Fabritio Caroso is an example of a questionable treatment of the instrumental music: one passage is played at the organ. This instrument was involved in secular music during the renaissance, but it seems highly unlikely that it participated in the performance of dances, let alone in a solo role.

The programme includes a number of vocal items. As on this disc only two singers participate (soprano and alto), the other parts have to be performed instrumentally. It is documented that madrigals were sometimes performed in such a line-up: the upper voice was sung, whereas the lower parts were performed on instruments. However, it is questionable whether in such cases wind instruments were used, and especially loud instruments, such as shawm, sackbut and dulcian. In the case of Willaert's Passa la nava it results in an unsatisfactory balance between the singers and the instruments and a lack of intelligibility of the text. In several madrigals (Marenzio, Ad una fresca riva; Arcadelt, Il bianco e dolce cigno), the singer is accompanied by organ alone (or with an additional lute), which is very odd. That goes even more for Robert Johnson's Full fathom five: I can't see any historical justification of a performance with alto, organ and lute. As far as its content is concerned: this is a typical example of a piece whose connection with the concept of the four elements is rather indirect, as it refers to nymphs, who in classical mythology are associated with water and rivers. The same subject turns up in the madrigal by Arcadelt just mentioned and in the two pieces by Giovanni Ghizzolo (Canto di Serene, Riposta di Nettuno).

The second disc, "Fire Music" [II], is a bit different in that the programme is divided into chapters. After another dance by Praetorius, we get three pieces under the title "Hell", then "Tongues of flames - miraculous Pentecost", "Phoenix", "Celestial fire - Sun and lightning", "Nature's regeneration from the Four elements", 'Volcano", "Smoke" and "Venus (and Mars) - terrestrial love's fire". As one can see, some of these subjects seem more closely connected to the four elements concept than others. What the descent of the Holy Ghost has to do with it is anybody's guess.

There is also no reason to include William Byrd's motet Memento homo in the chapter "Hell". It is a typical memento mori piece - "Remember, o man, of ashes are you made, and into ashes you will return" - and that is not specifically connected to eternal punishment. Here the line-up is historically untenable. The soprano is accompanied by wind instruments, but that is a performance practice that was unknown in England during the renaissance. Instruments did not play any role in sacred music for the Catholic liturgy. In this particular case there is another argument against this line-up. Byrd's Latin church music was written in a time that Catholic worship was forbidden, and his masses and motets were performed in secret services. The use of loud wind instruments is not the way to keep a service secret. In a motet such as the anonymous Mundi renovatio, a performance by soprano and wind seems more appropriate, and even the accompaniment of an organ may be justified. I can't see any reason to add percussion; it is an example of too many cases where percussion is involved. The change in the line-up within this piece is also typical of this project.

The next disc is entitled "Air Music" [III]. Again the programme is divided into chapters: "Gone with the wind", "Breath - Divine and Human", "Winged Creatures", "Zefiro and l'Aura/Laura", "Castles in the Air" and "The sanguine lightheaded person". The latter chapter represents the first one in this project that specifically refers to the pathology of the humours. It includes just one piece, the anonymous chanson Il est de bonne heure né: "How fortunate is the man who holds his lady in his arms (...)". It's probably not the most striking example of the sanguine humour which is described as being highly talkative, enthusiastic, active, and social. Considering that this piece dates from the 15th century, a performance by soprano, winds and percussion is very debatable.

That also goes for the English pieces. The Gloria from John Sheppard's Missa The Western Wynde by soprano, winds and organ is without historical foundation. The same is true for Thomas Campion's song The peaceful Western Wind: soprano and lute would suffice; there is no reason whatsoever to add percussion here. Praetorius' Ballet de bouteille is an example of an instrumental piece, where the line-up is too often changed. Claudio Monteverdi's Dolci miei sospiri requires two violins; here they are replaced by two recorders or other wind instruments, and again we get percussion. Frescobaldi's best-known song Se l'aura spira is treated here as a kind of sacred piece. The performance is too solemn, and the tempo too slow. The involvement of organ, dulcian and percussion can in no way be justified. Pierre de La Rue was famous for his chansons, which were the favourites of Margaret of Austria. She won't have expected a performance of Autant en emporte le vent (All is naught but empty promises) by soprano and winds. The chapter "Winged Creatures" includes pieces whose connection with the concept of four elements is very indirect. If this subject gives reason to include pieces about a nightingale (Monteverdi, Dolcissimo uscignolo) or an angel (Marenzio, Nuova angioletta), there is almost no limit to what could be included, considering that they turn up in numerous pieces of the renaissance and early baroque periods. Monteverdi's madrigal is spoiled here by the addition of soundscape.

The fourth and last disc is called "Earth Music" [IV]. It opens with the chapter "The Creation", which is followed by "The nourishing earth", "In the depth of the earth", "The return to earth", "Earth and melancholy" and "The earth and its richness". The first piece is Jubilate Deo omnis terra, a setting of Psalm 99 (100) by Giovanni Gabrieli. It is for ten voices, and as there are some other pieces for a large scoring, the ensemble includes eight singers. The tempo is a bit slow. Its content is not specifically connected to the Creation, unlike the second item, Lucis creator optimum by the Portuguese composer Estêvâo de Brito: "O blest Creator of the light, who mak'st the day with radiance bright". It is known that on the Iberian peninsula sacred music was sometimes performed by voices and instruments, but the line-up here - two altos, organ and lute, in alternation with winds, playing a kind of ritornellos (which the music probably does not require) - is very questionable. The same goes for the use of winds in Guillaume de Costeley's chanson La terre les eaux va buvant. Whereas this piece fits into the chapter of "The nourishing earth", I have no clue why Handl-Gallus's motet Vae nobis (Woe unto us, that we have sinned) and Schütz's O der großen Wundertaten, which is a piece written for a wedding, have been included here.

The chapter "Earth and melancholy" opens with the motet Terra tremuit by Byrd, and again, it is a mystery to me what this has to do with the humour of melancholy: "The earth trembled, and was still, when God arose to judgment. Hallelujah". The performance with winds and percussion - the latter takes a prominent place and is apparently symbolizing the threat of the Last Judgment - is historically utter nonsense. And so is the ensuing performance of Josquin's chanson Plaine de dueil by soprano and organ.

Two instrumental pieces include passages where some of the players seem to improvise, and not in a stylistically appropriate manner. I am afraid that they were infected by the (Christina) Pluhar virus. That they have fallen victim to percussionitis is bad enough.

Fortunately the fourth disc ends with a fine performance of Heinrich Schütz's setting of Psalm 24, Domini est terra. On balance, despite its shortcomings, this disc is the least unconvincing and the least annoying of the series.

Let me make one thing clear: the singing and playing is excellent and leaves hardly anything to be desired. The Capella de la Torre is an outstanding ensemble and Katharina Bäuml has invited singers who know what they have to do in this repertoire. The booklets include lists of the sources, which is praiseworthy. The liner-notes are a bit uneven: only the booklet to the fourth disc provides some information about the composers. One of the nice things of this project is that every disc includes several pieces that are hardly known.

It is just that the concept, as interesting as it is, has not been worked out very well, as the connection between the music and the concept of the four elements is often too loose. However, that is the minor problem compared with the line-up in many pieces, which is historically unfounded or at least highly questionable. Too often pieces are performed in a manner which justifies to label them 'arrangements'. Unfortunately, these arrangements too often don't do justice to the character of the pieces or their historical context.

Johan van Veen (© 2020)

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