This disc, compiling selections from two earlier releases, includes examples of the Christmas villancico, a genre unique to Renaissance Spain (and Latin America, home to some especially intriguing cross-cultural fusions in the genre). These are attractive pieces, usually performed with a good deal of percussion, and the rhythmic energy level is hiked by the frequent use of what would now be called syncopation. Several of the works included here are especially striking in this regard; hear the anonymous E la don don, track 5, for a good example. The repertoire is sunny in mood, perhaps including vernacular elements that may encompass influences from the African continent. The Catalonian group Capella de Ministrers gives performances that are both clean and enthusiastic, with percussion that does not sound reluctant the way early music percussion sometimes does. It all adds up to some foot-tapping background listening during the Christmas season. Unfortunately, this reissue doesn't add up to anything more than that; booklet notes are minimal and general, and they don't include texts, much less translations. These pieces are as linguistically interesting as they are musically, with texts that may be in two (or more) languages, and their infectious -- even contagious -- refrains seem to demand translation. So this may be a pleasant disc for the car or iPod at holiday time, but other discs, such as Jordi Savall's Villancicos y danzas criollas (which focuses more on Latin American developments), will give a much better introduction to the music.