Di�spora Sefard� Romances & M�sica Instrumental
Alia Vox AV9809 (A + B) Code-barres/Barcode: 7619986098098				CD Standard
				Description Artistes / Performers Hesp�rion XXI, direction: Jordi Savall Montserat Figueras, soprano, Yair Dalal, oud, Ken Zuckerman, Pedro Memelsdorff, Bego�a Olavide, Andrew Lawrence-King, Edin Karamazov, Arianna Savall, Xavier Diaz, Pedro Estevan Lieu d'enregistrement / Recording site: Coll�giale du Ch�teau de Cardona, Catalogne (Espagne/Spain) Date d'enregistrement: Printemps de 1999   Recording date: Spring of 1999 Dur�e totale / Total time:  A = 64'30       B = 65'18
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"Savant m�lange que les romances et musiques s�pharades pr�sent�es par Jordi Savall sur ces deux CD d�fiant toute classification : musique savante, populaire, traditionnelle ? Savante pour certaines, de par leur anciennet�, de par le fait qu'elles faisaient d�j� partie de recueils - donc, musique �crite ; populaire, par le caract�re d'improvisation pure de certains morceaux - mais de Bach � Durufl�, qui n'a improvis� ? ; traditionnelle, par une certaine utilisation de l'instrumentarium classique nord-africain ou m�di�val espagnol. Quoi qu'il en soit, il en r�sulte une suite de musiques de grand charme, extraordinairement diverses : rien d'�tonnant, si l'on consid�re les innombrables influences auxquelles ont �t� soumises les Juifs expuls�s de terre en terre. Et si la langue dans laquelle chante Montserrat Figueras est bien l'espagnol (certes archa�que, teint� de catalan, grec, arabe ou turc), la musique puise ses sources dans les cultures bulgare, roumaine, serbocroate, bosniaque, italienne, grecque, turque, arabe d'Afrique du Nord, et naturellement espagnole." Source: Alia-Vox.com   �valuations recens�es / Reviews located 05/2000   #467 (02/2000)  # 20 (03/2000) 09/10-2000 #10 (02/04-2000) Review by Gerald Fenech       MONDE DE LA MUSIQUE # 241 - (03/2000) Diaspora s�pharade Sephardi Jews - Sephardi diaspora Extrait du livret / From the liner notes "En 1492, les juifs furent expuls�s d�Espagne par un d�cret royal des couronnes de Castille et d�Aragon. Les expulses �migr�rent - non sans parfois de p�nibles p�rip�ties- vers l�Afrique du Nord, vers le puissant et ample Empire Ottoman, ou vers certains pays d�Europe, tels le sud de la France, l�Italie ou le Portugal si proche. Mais le refuge portugais fut de courte dur�e: cinq ans plus tard seulement, en 1497, les juifs du Portugal se virent oblig�s, par ordre royal. ou � se convertir ou � abandonner le royaume. L�inexistence � l��poque de l�Inquisition au Portugal �elle ne devait s�implanter qu�un demi-si�cle plus tard� rendit possible le fait qu�une partie des convertis de force continuent � pratiquer leur ancienne religion en cachette et forment des groupes crypto-judaiques qui, durant les XVI�me et XVII�me si�cles form�rent la base de nouvelles communaut�s isra�lites aux Pays Bas ou en Italie. Certains de ces convertis, de retour au juda�sme vinrent s�int�grer aux communaut�s s�farades d�Afrique du Nord ou de l�Orient m�diterran�en." "C�est ainsi que s�est form�, grosso modo, le monde s�farade. Il est bien connu qu�une partie importante des juifs originaires de la P�ninsule ib�rique, install�s dans des pays riverains de la M�diterran�e, ont gard� jusqu�au XX�me si�cle l�usage de l�espagnol comme langue de communication et comme langue litt�raire: et qu�avec la langue,  ils ont gard� les us et coutumes, les influences litt�raires et les traits culturels en tous genre de cette origine hispanique." ... "Tout cet amalgame d�influences appara�t dan l�anthologie Diaspora Sefardi dans laquelle Hesp�rion XXI recr�e un �ventail repr�sentatif de chansons et romances des s�farades d�Orient. Dans le domaine musical, nous trouvons ici, unies � de probables h�ritages de la musique m�di�vale hispanique, les influences �videntes de la musique culte qui s�est d�velopp�e d�s le XVl�me si�cle au sein de 1�Empire Ottoman (et que les s�farades adopt�rent promptement, y compris dans leurs chants liturgiques) et  aussi de la musique populaire des peuples des balkans." Paloma D�az-Mas Traduction: Ir�ne Bloc   "In 1492 the Jews were expelled by royal edict from the Crowns of Castile and Aragon. Following their expulsion, the Jews emigrated �often after great hardship� to north Africa, to the lands of the then vast and powerful Ottoman empire, or to some European country such as the southern France, Italy or nearby Portugal. Their refuge in Portugal was short lived, however: only five years later, in 1497, the Jews of Portugal were also forced, again by royal decree, either to convert to Christianity or to abandon the kingdom. The fact that, at that time, there was no Inquisition, in Portugal (it was not established there until half a century later), enabled some of those who had been forced to convert to continue secretly practising their religion. Thus, they formed groups of crypto-Jews who, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, were to lay the foundations of the new Jewish communities in the Low Countries and Italy. Some of the converts reverted to Judaism and joined the communities of Sephardic Jews in north Africa or the eastern Mediterranean." "This, in very broad terms, is how the Sephardic world came into being. It is well known that. right up until the 20th century, a large number of those Jews who originated from the Iberian peninsula and settled in countries around the Mediterranean have retained Spanish as a language for both everyday communication and literature, and that, together with the language, they have preserved customs and practices, literary influences and all kinds of cultural features of Hispanic origin." ... "The mixture of all these influences is reflected in the anthology �Diaspora Sefardi�, in which Hesp�rion XXI has recreated a representative sample of songs and ballads of the eastern Sephardic communities. On a musical level, this selection shows, together with what are presumably the surviving traces of medieval Hispanic music, the clear influence of sophisticated musical forms which developed in the Ottoman empire from the 16th century (and which were rapidly adopted by Sephardic Jews, even for use in their liturgical chants), a well a of the popular music of the Balkans." Paloma D�az-Mas Translated by Jacqueline Minett
Gramophone-  (05/2000) GRAMOPHONE ARCHIVE     Subscription Abonnement Analyste: Tess Knighton Condens� (traduction libre): Cet article des plus �logieux porte le titre ronflant de :" Exploration fascinante des diverses musiques s�farades, reconstitu�es de fa�on imaginative par l'ensemble expert Hesp�rion XXI"  Dans sa reconstitution de ce vaste r�pertoire, l'ensemble Hesp�rion XXI puise tant�t aux sources de l'Espagne m�di�vale, mais s'inspire aussi des ballades traditionnelles toujours vivantes en Gr�ce ainsi que d'�l�ments d'origine balkano-turque... ..." le r�sultat est splendide, exotique, fantastique et � l'occasion extr�mement �mouvant. La voix bien particuli�re de Montserrat Figueras semble convenir admirablement bien � ces m�lodies... "Le jeu des interpr�tes, s'inspirant � la fois des traditions orientales et occidentales, est superbe et le tout nous fournit une exp�rience d'�coute saisissante" "Hautement recommand�."   Reviewer: Tess Knighton Abridged version-:  A fascinating exploration of diverse Sephardic music, imaginatively recreated by the expert Hesperion XXI "Hesperion XXI's recreation of this repertory casts its net wide, drawing on material from late medieval Spain, but also adapting living ballad traditions in Greece and incorporating Balkan-Turkish elements. ...."the result is beautiful, exotic, fantastical and at times profoundly moving. Montserrat Figueras's distinctive voice seems ideally suited to the long-breathed, meandering melodies, punctuated by those sinuous, fluttering, Eastern-sounding ornaments at which she excels." "The instrumental accompaniment of plucked and bowed strings, recorders and percussion, comes across as genuinely improvisatory..." "The playing of the instrumentalists, drawn from both Western and Eastern traditions, is superb, and it all makes for compelling listening." "Highly recommended."
Diapason- # 467 (02/2000) Appreciation Evaluation Abonnement Subscription Analyste: Roger Tellart R�sum� ou abr�g�:  "Ce double album arpente le vaste r�pertoire de la diaspora s�farade, essaim� � travers tout le bassin m�diterran�en, suite � l'�dit d'expulsion des Rois Catholiques en 1492." Sur le premier disque, "c'est � Montserrat Figueras, figure embl�matique de l'ensemble, qu'est confi� le r�veil vocal de l'entreprise: huit Romances o� son instinct .... s'av�re, ... incontournable, � l'aff�t des diff�rentes mouvances que l'�clatement g�ographique de la diaspora implique. .. sa voix fragile demeure irrempla�able, d�cryptant le sens intime des mots et avivant au plus juste la touche amoureuse ou douloureuse, en �cho � l'humeur du texte..." Le second disque est "... consacr� � des restitutions de pi�ces seulement instrumentales".   "... le charme sonore op�re encore, Savall ayant comme nul autre l'art de joindre le style � la s�duction et � la mani�re.... "D�sormais le choix du discophile est clair: cette approche exhaustive du fonds s�farade s'impose comme une vraie r�f�rence..." Reviewer: Roger Tellart Abridged version : "This double CD set explores the vast repertoire of the Sephardic Diaspora which spread across the entire Mediterranean basin after the edict of expulsion of the Catholic Kings in 1492." On the first CD, �  Montserrat Figueras, figurehead of the ensemble, is responsible for the vocal part of the enterprise : eight Romances  where her instinct reveals the extreme diversity of influences as a result from the geographical explosion of the Diaspora� Her fragile voice remains unique, deciphering the intimate meaning of the words and making extremely perceptible the amorous or painful tones, in full echo to the spirit of the text�� The second CD is �� made of instrumental pieces only.� � but once again, the musical charm operates. Savall knows as no one else how to link style to seduction�.  �From now on, the music lover will have no other choice: this exhaustive investigation of the Sephardic repertoire should become the ultimate reference�.
Classica- # 20 (03/2000) Appr�ciation: 5 Evaluation: Abonnement Subscription   Analyste: Coralie Welcomme Texte int�gral:  Nouveau disque de Savall, plus surprenant que jamais ! Loin du faste et de la luxuriance de la cour du Roi Soleil, le voici, aux c�t�s de Montserrat Figueras, dans des romances des S�farades d'Orient. � la rencontre de diverses cultures, cette musique s�farade m�di�vale s'�panouit dans un m�lange d'influences tr�s diverses. Les motifs hispaniques, arabes, grecs, turcs,, ou plus g�n�ralement balkaniques, s'entrecroisent et se dessinent sur un horizon pourtant typiquement juif. L'ensemble fait penser � l'une de ces mosa�ques que l'on trouverait dans l'Alhambra de la Grenade m�di�vale, o� fusionnaient trois grandes civilisations... Enrichie de tels contacts, cette musique accompagnait tous les instants de la vie: moments liturgiques, r�cits d'�v�nements guerriers (El Moro de Antequera) ou berceuses. Et tandis que la viole de Jordi Savall enflamme l'atmosph�re, une voix aux couleurs lointaines s'�l�ve, en chants d'amour et en lamentations... Montserrat Figueras excelle dans ce r�pertoire tr�s th��tral, rendant le dynamisme des refrains d'une voix presque parl�e, ou bien adoucissant les passages plus m�lancoliques par de fluides inflexions de la courbe m�lodique. Une pointe d'exotisme qui, relev�e d'un  corps instrumental en parfaite osmose, recompose le paysage des bords m�diterran�ens. Une perfection dans son genre, et un beau moment de musique, m�me s'il faut sans doute �couter ce disque � plusieurs reprises pour esp�rer en entendre la profondeur.
Goldberg # 10 (Printemps/Spring 2000)   Appr�ciation Evaluation Goldberg a cess� de publier avec le # 54 ~~~~~~ Goldberg is no longer available. # 54 was the last issue. Analyste: Juan Carlos Asensio Texte int�gral:  "Les aventures du peuple juif qui, en provenance d'Espagne, a du se diss�miner � travers diverses r�gions d'Europe et du nord de l'Afrique, ont �t� exprim�es sous la forme de romances litt�raires que l'on a pu entendre � l'�poque m�me de l'expulsion (1492) : El moro de Antequera ou le Romance del Conde Olmos alternent dans ce premier CD de l'enregistrement avec d'autres provenant du reste de l'Europe comme El rey de Francia ou Por qu� llorax blanca Ni�a, originaires de Smyrne et de Sarajevo, respectivement. Sa th�matique amoureuse et m�lancolique est parfaitement refl�t�e dans le timbre particulier et la mani�re de chanter de Montserrat Figueras, accompagn�e par d'excellents musiciens, tous sp�cialistes remarquables de leurs instruments, m�me si certains sont plus habitu�s � d'autres r�pertoires. Ces musiques et ces textes, transmis de mani�re orale, demandent une bonne dose d'imagination pour �tre port�s sur disque - ce qui ne manque pas � Jordi Savall - afin de pouvoir remplir les parties vocales de pr�ludes, interludes et postludes, qui enrichissent le r�sultat final". " Le second CD de l'album est d�di� � des versions instrumentales de romances, � l'origine seulement vocales. Normalement la partie vocale est confi�e � l'un des instruments. On remarque particuli�rement l'extr�me douceur et le phras� excellent du fl�tiste Pedro Memelsdorff, souvent suivi du luthiste Yair Dalad, qui se compl�tent parfaitement, tout comme les interventions progressives du tutti, et m�me la discr�te percussion. On peut souligner les versions expressives avec fl�te et percussion seules de A la una yo nac� ou Yo era ni�a de casa alta, ainsi que les improvisations sur des th�mes vocaux (Axerico) ou simplement libres, dans lesquelles le travail du percussionniste Pedro Estevan est fondamental".   Reviewer: Juan Carlos Asensio Full text : "The adventures and trials of the Jewish population expelled from Spain and forced to migrate to various points in Europe and North Africa were set to music in the form of romances or ballads which could be heard even at the time of the expulsion (1492). On the first CD of this album, Spanish pieces such as El moro de Antequera and the Romance del Conde Olmos alternate with songs from other parts of Europe, such as El rey de Francia and Por qu� llorax blanca Ni�a, from Esmirna and Sarajevo, respectively. Montserrat Figueras reflects perfectly in her style of singing and timbre of her voice the pieces' erotic and melancholic themes. She is accompanied by excellent musicians, all notable instrumental specialists, although some of them are more accustomed to other repertories. The task of recording the songs and texts, which belong to an oral tradition, call for a good dose of imagination - something which Savall does not lack - in order (to) fill out the vocal parts with preludes, interludes and postludes which enrich the final result". "The second CD in the album consists in instrumental versions of songs which were originally oral ballads. In most cases, the vocal part is assigned to one of the instruments. The tenderness and phrasing in the performances of flautist Pedro Memelsdorff, who is often followed closely by lute player Yair Dalad, highlight the CD. The two complement each other perfecttly, as well as the progressional tuttis and the discreet use of percussion. The expressive pieces for flute and percussion such as A la una yo nac� and  Yo era ni�a de casa alta stand out particularly, as well as the improvisations on vocal themes (Axerico) and the free improvisations, to which the work of percussionist Pedro Estevan is fundamental".
24:1 (09/10 - 2000)     Abonnement Subscription Reviewer: Tom Moore Full text: "The re-creation of the Sephardic lyric tradition seems often to belong to musicians who have some contact with the early-music community (an example being the Boston ensemble Voice of the Turtle, with a number of discs for Titanic in the later 80s and 90s). It seems as if it ought to belong to members of the Sephardic community as a living music, rather than a re-creation of a lost tradition � world music, as we think of it now, rather than something more akin to the revivification of the songs of the troubadours, with the contributions of philologists and historians. There is a sense in which this is "early music," since the Sephardim have often (though not always) preserved the language spoken in Iberia before 1492. But half a millennium is a long time, and much if not most of the musical language comes from elsewhere in the Mediterranean world. How many of us know this music from its true sources (in the way that a folkie who traveled to the Appalachian mountains rather than to Greenwich Village might)? Not I. And so I can only say that I enjoy the poetry, the stories in particular, and that Savall and company provide a musical tapestry that se non � vero, � ben trovato. My attention did not flag as Figueras spun out her narratives. I found it less easy to be drawn into the instrumental music on the second disc, which does not have quite enough sinew to stand on its own, a case of the parts not adding up to a greater sum. The sound is first-rate, and the design of the booklet is lovely to see. Recommended."
MONDE DE LA MUSIQUE # 241 03/2000       Analyste: Marc Desmet Des extraits...   � Expuls�s en 1492, les juifs de la P�ninsule ib�rique ont �migr� en grande partie vers les rivages africains et europ�ens de l�Empire ottoman. Le r�pertoire de po�sie et de chants qui naquit de cet exil irradie une indicible nostalgie, � � � le r�pertoire se pr�te � de multiples m�tamorphoses selon qu�on lui associe plut�t les inflexions d�un folklore teint� d�oralit� ou la parure d�une musique savante, cultiv�e dans les grands centres urbains. � En deux disques ayant chacun leur centre de gravit� (vocal puis instrumental), l�alchimie de timbres est envo�tante, usant des timbres instrumentaux comme d�autant d��pices rares. L��quipe r�unit aux c�t�s de Savall des vedettes du r�pertoire m�di�val (Pedro Memelsdorf, Andrew-Lawrence King) et oriental (Yair Dalal, Ken Zuckerman, Edin Karamazov). Un charme capiteux �mane de cette rencontre, � l��cho prolong� par un sens parfait des d�grad�s sonores. � Seule restriction, en regard du second disque o� � l�osmose entre les musiciens tarde � se faire... �, � � Montserrat Figueras ayant  pris (selon Marc Desmet) le pari risqu� d�imposer � chaque strophe un traitement expressif de type litt�raire. �   Reviewer: Marc Desmet A few excerpts - translation by Classicalacarte �The Jews were expulsed from the Iberian peninsula in 1492. They migrated towards the North African and European banks of the Ottoman Empire. There emanates an indescribable nostalgia from the repertory of poetry and songs produced during this exile.�  !... this repertory lends itself to many metamorphosis whether it is associated with the many inflections of a folklore based on oral traditions or with the adornment of scholarly music, as practised in large urban centers. � On these two recordings, each having its own center of gravity (vocal and instrumental),  the alchemy of timbres is fascinating, making use of instrumental tonalities as if they were rare spices. Savall�s list of collaborators includes well known specialists of the medieval repertory (Pedro Memelsdorff, Andrew-Lawrence King) and of the oriental one (Yair Dalal, Ken Zuckerman, Edin Karamazov). A sensuous impression emanates from this experience, which is further extended through a perfect sense of the shades of sound.   One restriction however, with regards to the second CD, where according to Marc Desmet, � the osmosis between the musicians takes time to establish itself�.  This is due to � Montserrat Figueras� risky approach of attributing to each stanza an expressive treatment of a literary nature. �     Reviewer: Gerald Fenech Jordi Savall's outstanding group of instrumentalists, Hesperion XXI continue to chart rare medieval territory with this double album of vocal and instrumental music dedicated to the Sephardi age. The first disc contains some wonderful demonstrations of the impressive vocal range of the highly talented Montserrat Figueras who sings the various pieces with unique character. I was particularly entranced by 'Por que llorax blanca nina' from Sarajevo and the Salonican 'Levantose el Conde Nino' both works of mystical provenance and complex harmonies. Figueras is consistently stupefying in the works dedicated to Marrucos, Sofia and Rhodes, all imbued with a rhythmic drive and particular �lan. The second disc is even more intriguing as the instrumental pieces are much more inventive and create a particularly intriguing atmosphere. Savall is unquestionably one of the finest minds in this particular territory and this is shown in the outstanding interpretations of 'Las estrellas de los cielos' (Alexandria) and 'Longe de mi tu' estaras' (Sofia) where the music is consistently shifting harmonies and tonalities. Each piece has its own characteristics and charms of its own, and they really come alive in Hesperion XXI's lively interpretations. The recorded sound is exceptionally clear with each instrument spotlighted in a perfectly natural manner. AliaVox's presentation is also superb with a triple gatefold sleeve containing an appropriately detailed booklet that expounds on the history of the Sephardic Jews and their impact on the musical scene. I have nothing but praise for this outstanding issue - another superb addition to AliaVox's catalogue.
La musique / The music Por que Horax blanca ni�a ROMANCES VOCALES Las estrellas de los cielos MUSICA INSTRUMENTAL 1. El moro de Antequera (Rhodes) 1. Las estrellas de los cielos (Alejandr�a) 2. Levantose el Conde Ni�o (Sal�nica) 2. En la santa Helena (Sof�a) 3. El Rey de Francia (Esmirna) 3. A la una yo nac� (Sarajevo) 4. Por all� pas� un cavallero (Turquia)   4.  Improvisaci�n (oud & percussi�n) 5. Por que Horax blanca ni�a (Sarajevo) 5. Paxarico tu te llamas (Sarajevo) 6. La guirnalda de rosas (Rhodes) 6. Yo era ni�a de casa alta (Esmirna) 7. Nani, nani (Marruecos) 7. Longe de mi tu estar�s (Sofia) 8. El Rey que tanto madruga (Sof�a) 8. Hermoza muchachica (Jerusalem)   9. Axerico de quinze a�os (Salonica?)   10 Improvisaci�n sobre "Axerico"  (sarod &  percussi�n)
Autres r�f�rences disponibles via la base de donn�es de Todd McComb/ Other available references  via Todd McComb's database: (Site: http://www.medieval.org) Re: AV9809  R�f�rences sur le web: 1. Un p�l�rinage incontournable, Alexandre Vigneault, La Presse 2. Diaspora Sefardi par Hesp�rion XXI, La Libre Belgique
Autres sections d'int�r�t sur ce site: Other topics of interest on this site: Harmonia Mundi / Gold - Appr�ciations Goldberg Magazine - 1998-2008 - Les 50 meilleurs cd de la d�cennie   Harmonia Mundi / Gold - The critics' point of view Goldberg Magazine - 1998-2008 - The 50 best cds of    the decade
Date de cr�ation de cette fiche: 4 avril 2006 Derni�re mise � jour de cette fiche: 2021-12-28 This page was first published on: April 4, 2006 This page was updated on: 12/28/21
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