Granada, 1013-1526

Hesperion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, Savall, Jordi

AVSA 9915

The Andalusian city of Granada is exemplary for the fruitful and at the same time conflict-laden encounter of the three monotheistic religions. Jordi Savall illuminates in a musical history portrait the 500 years from 1013 to 1526, during which the city was dominated by the Berber and Arab dynasties of the Zirids, Almoravids, Almohads and Nazarids. Their relations with the neighbouring Christian kingdoms and the precarious situation of the Jews who had settled in this area since the earliest times also find their place in a large sonic fresco, which the great tracker Savall discovered from historical sources. He will be accompanied by his proven ensembles Hespèrion XXI and La Capella Reial de Catalunya with the soloists Waed Bouhassoun, Lior Elmaleh (vocals) and the incomparable master of the Arabian lute Oud, Driss El Maloumi. The tolerance among the world religions, for which Gotthold Ephraim Lessings (1729-1781) promotes the famous "Ring Parable" from his enlightening drama "Nathan the Wise", has been a central concern in Jordi Savall's cultural work for decades. Lessing's parable draws on a narrative of Sephardic Jews from the Iberian peninsula."As ever, Savall points up the sources’ colour, vitality, expressiveness and socio-political context in an exciting, fascinating and utterly beguiling programme … The singers are superb, displaying gorgeous timbres and honest emotional dimensions … the realisations are consistently moving and beautiful. Even the spoken texts sound mellifluous and resonant." •BBC Music Magazine, November 2016

SACD x 1

Alia Vox

3.06.2016

8435408099158