EIF 26: Jordi Savall: A Sea of Music

Usher Hall 25/8/26

Jordi Savall, Hespèrion XXI,

La Capella Reial de Catalunya,

Tembembe Ensemble Continuo

After a brief sabbatical from the Festival for the wedding of my son, I was excited to return to the Usher Hall for this much anticipated concert by Jordi Savall, the legendary Catalan early music expert, and his ensemble Hespèrion XXI. A Sea of Music was presented as a tribute to the awful legacy of centuries of slavery, in particular the shame of Spanish and Portuguese colonialism, but not exclusively so, referring to British and French history as well.

Although the horrors of the slave trade were examined in a clear narrative provided by Equatorial Guinean/Spanish actor, Emilio Buale, the full magnificence of the music adapted and created by slaves was at the forefront of the show, revealing how beauty and love will always triumph over hate and despair.

We heard music from all over the Americas from the 15th to the 19th centuries and beyond, and with Mr Savall’s ensemble, Hesperion XXI, his vocal ensemble, La Capella Reial de Catalunya, the Mexican group, Tembembe Ensamble Continuo, and various guest musicians, singers and dancers, the Usher Hall was treated to a kaleidoscopic selection of astonishing power and beauty. A packed house, including the now traditional beanbags in the Stalls area, was enthralled and overwhelmed by a concert of unbelievable variety.

From a Malian kora player, through dancers and singers from Canada, Guinea, Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela and Haiti, to the enthralling virtuoso Treble viol playing of Jordi Savall himself, and an incredible array of percussion players, we were treated to a deeply moving performance lasting nearly three hours. The response from the audience was spine-tingling!

I’m afraid I can’t tell you who sang and played what, as the programme didn’t tell us, but my highlights were La Negrina: Sansabeya gugurumbé by the 16th century Mateo Fletcher, Tieycantimo Choquilliya, a rousing finale to the first half by Gaspar Fernandes (17th century), an instrumental Air pour les Esclaves Africains by Rameau, a superb a capella rendition by La Capella Reial of a piece which may have been Peruvian (top class singing by Anna Piroli, David Sagastume, Victor Sordo, Lluis Vilamajó, Pieter Stas and Ivan Garcia), a moving Malian lament for voice and kora, and finally two festive pieces from Mexico and Cuba, involving the whole extraordinary ensemble, with important contributions from the sprightly 85 year old, Jordi Savall.

A moving encore of Amazing Grace, perhaps the most famous slave song, and a repeat of the Cuban finale sent the audience home buzzing. I was reminded, in a different context, of the words of a Jewish survivor of Terezin and Auschwitz in WW2 in a documentary I was involved in 35 years ago, who said - “despite all of the horror and misery, somehow our lives were enriched!”, revealing how music had saved her. Perhaps, even after all the horrors of slavery, this uplifting concert could also show how music can transcend evil and hatred!