I had the opportunity to hear much of the content of this CD set performed live during Jordi Savall's "Bal-Kan" tour. Right after the concert I was itching to hear some of the songs again, so I searched and purchased Balkan Spirit. That CD was excellent, but it didn't contain much of what I had heard them perform. Especially missing were some of the great vocal pieces like the folk song Dui Dui, Deshudui.Thankfully, Alia Vox has published this set which not only every song they performed during that concert series, but a few more alongside in a 3 CD set. It's worth mentioning that there is some overlap with Balkan Spirit, but I would guess only 5 or 6 tracks. Even then, many of the shared tracks are actually rearranged. Though the book is 616 pages like the description says, like other Alia Vox books, it is very multilingual. While this to me is a plus, especially given the lovely plates, it does mean there are not 616 pages of original content. The recordings are definitely set in a studio, and are up to the usual quality I have found in other Hesperion XXI CDs. There is never any clipping, the stereo is expansive but tight enough to be satisfying, and the dozens of instruments are really well balanced. I would say that the album is primarily vocal, though there are a number of purely instrumental arrangements. There are 7 gapless tracks at the end of the third disc.The CDs are organized following life through the seasons. Like the title indicates, mood shifts and instrumentation changes tell the parallel stories of a group of cultures at times at war and in peace. In its closing, it combines different folk songs and instrumentals into a moving meditation on the idea of reconciliation and unity. Because of the variety of cultures represented, Savall brings out all of the stops in gathering a diverse array of vocalists and instrumentalists: many I recognized from previous CDs, but a few I was less familiar with. The performances are excellent, especially Jordi Savall as he dances between different styles and traditions. I think they did a good job of capturing in the studio the kind of energy that the live performance had. Standout tracks for me include: Tillirkotissa; Zaplakala e vdovitsa; Ben bir göcmen Kizi; Dui Dui, Demonori; and the 2 final instrumental/vocal tracks.I was hesitant in buying set this given the expense, however, given my love for this kind of music, it was definitely a worthwhile purchase.