A tribute to Jordi Savall and Montserrat Figueras - two great musicians and introducers of early music

The great Catalan soprano Montserrat Figueras (1942 - 2011) at the
Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and Dance in June 2010.

Jordi Savall i Bernadet, the Catalan viola da gamba master, conductor and composer and his wife, the great soprano Montserrat Figueras have been major figures in the field of Western early music ever since the 1970s. After Montserrat Figueras sadly passed away in 2011, Savall has continued to perform with his orchestras and the couple's two children Ferran and Arianna, both gifted musicians and singers.

Jordi Savall at the Fes Festival

What a joy it was on Sunday (Mezzo television channel, February 2) to watch one of the last recorded concerts with Montserrat Figueras performing together with her husband, along with Hesperion XXI and La Capella Reial de Catalunya and a raft of Israeli, Palestinian, Iraqi, Greek and Armenian guest artists. The programme, called "Jerusalem, Peace in Heaven and on Earth: A magical journey from Sufi music to Hebraic lamentations" was recorded in June 2010 in Morocco, at the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and Dance.

On the same evening Mezzo also showed a concert (recorded in July 2013) from the monastery church in Fontfroide with Jordi Savall conducting his Le Concert des Nations in a program consisting of Bach's suites and concerti.

A truly great evening for friends of early music! Thank you Mezzo!

PS

If you are interested in Jordi Savall's and Montserrat Figueras' recordings, the best place to get information is here

Two young kings: A 1909 photograph of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and King Manuel II of Portugal

You might think that this is an old picture of an early gay couple. However, the two elegantly dressed young gentlemen in the photograph from 1909 are King Alfonso XIII of Spain (1886 - 1941) and King Manuel II of Portugal (1889 - 1932).

The photo was published in the Swedish weekly Hvar 8 Dag in 1909 with the subtitle "Faithful Friends and Good Neighbours".  In the 19th century and the early 20th century it was not at all uncommon for men to show friendship and pose in this way.

Hvar 8 Dag also mentions that there were rumours about a planned revolutionary uprising in Portugal.

The rumours proved to be true. The reign of Manuel II ended with the dissolution of the monarchy with the 5 October 1910 revolution. Manuel lived in exile the rest of his life.

Alfonso's reign lasted longer - until 1931 - after which he fled the country as the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed.

Tugboats Ibaizabal Diez and Weser towing in Øresund

Ibaizabal Diez was in front and Weser in the back, actually backing. 

This afternoon the tugboats Ibaizabal Diez (37 x 14m, Spanish) and Weser (34 x 13m, German) were towing a large construction - probably a leg of an oil drilling rig - northwards in Øresund. The transport is on its way from Wismar to Esbjerg in Denmark. 

The Seeponton 3 barge with the load.

Weser backing northwards.

Saffron harvesting in Spain a hundred years ago

Saffron - consisting of the stigmas from the Saffron crocus - has been used as a key seasoning, fragrance, dye, and medicine for at least three thousand years. Saffron has also been - and still is - one of the most expensive spices in the world - it can cost up to $300 for one ounce. The fact that the flowers and the stigmas have to be hand picked - a very time consuming activity - makes saffron so expensive; you need up to 250,000 flowers to produce just one kilo of dry saffron!

Spanish saffron was considered the best in the world already in the early 20th century. The photos below show saffron harvesting in Spain in 1905:

Spanish saffron pickers out in the field.

Removing weeds.

Picking the stigmas from the flowers.

Roasting the saffron.

Alhambra now - and more than100 years ago

Alhambra in Granada is without  doubt one of the most beautiful historic sites in the world. The Alhambra and its gardens were declared national artistic monuments in Spain already in 1872, and in 1984 the UNESCO World Heritage Committee included Alhambra and the Generalife of Granada on the World Heritage List. 

 Below you can compare a photograph of Alhambra taken in the 1890s with a photo from 2005. 

(picture by wikipedia)

Here is a photo of the famous Alhambra Myrtle Yard (1890s):

This Alhambra video with Finnish classical guitar maestro Timo Korhonen is worth watching and listening to:

Ana María Martínez sings "Las Carceleras"

Ana María Martínez is one of the most stylish operatic  singers

Among the many "pearls" of the Spanish Zarzuela, "Las Carceleras" from Ruperto Chapi´s "Las Hijas Del Zebedeo" is one of my personal favourites. This very Spanish song has been - and is still - performed by many of the the world´s leading sopranos and mezzos. But there is nobody who does it better than the great Puerto Rican soprano Ana María Martínez:

This performance is from a Zarzuela concert which Ana María Martinez and Placído Domingo gave in Salzburg in 2007.

Simple pleasures nr. 20: Andalucian olives

Spain is the world´s largest producer of olives - and Andalucia is the home of the best olives. It´s just that simple.

The first Andalucian olive trees were planted already 6000 years ago. Today there are 150 million olive trees, which are used for the production of about one billion litres of the green gold of Andalucia.

Olive trees dominate large parts of  the Andalucian landscape

Jaen is the olive capital of Andalucia

There are about 200 varieties of olives in Spain. 

The considerable health benefits of olive oil are well documented. So, there is every reason for consumers all over the world to increase the use of olives - preferably from Andalucia!

Rosi´s "Carmen" with Domingo and Migenes on blu-ray

Young Placido Domingo in one of his favourite roles

Francesco Rosi´s version (1984) of Bizet´s opera Carmen is without doubt one of the finest opera films ever made. Fortunately, it is now available on an excellent blu-ray disc, which I would like to warmly recommend to all opera lovers.

Julia Migenes is amazing as Carmen

The movie is shot beutifully on location in Spain, so you get the sceneries that you will never be able to enjoy on opera stages. But above all, you get to hear and see young Placido Domingo in one of his all time favourite roles as don José. And there are few Carmens as alluring and seductive as Julia Migenes! The great Italian bass-baritone Ruggiero  Raimondi is an outstanding Escamillo and Faith Esham´s Michaëla is also very good.

Ruggiero Raimondi as Escamillo

Another testimony to the vast improvement brought about by the blu-ray technology! This film is also an excellent introduction to the world of opera for beginners!

 

 

Plácido Domingo

I missed Plácido Domingo´s 70th birthday a couple of weeks ago. But better late than never. Domingo is certainly the greatest living tenor in the world, and a very good conductor, too. And he does not let his age stop him from making wonderful music. "If I rest I rust" is his well chosen slogan. Long may he live!

Listen to a younger Domingo sing the popular tune Jurame. (I have heard Villazon do the same song, but Domingo´s version is better.)

The lyrics in English:

PROMISE ME


Promise me,
that although much time may pass
you'll never forget the moment
when I first met you.

Look at me,
'cause there's nothing more profound
nor bigger in this world
than the love I gave to you. Kiss me,
with a kiss so full of love
like no one has ever kissed me
since the day that I was born.

Love me,
love me until you feel the madness
and understand the bitter pain
that I am suffering for you.

They all say it's a lie that I love you
'cause they've never seen me so
in love
I swear to you that I don't know why
the look in your eyes has kept me
captive.

When you are near me
and I am happy
I wish that you'd remember no one else
I am jealous even of my thoughts
that may remind you
of another person you once loved.

Promise me
that although much time may pass
you will not forget the moment
when I first met you.

Look at me,
'cause there's nothing more profound
nor bigger in this world
than the love I gave to you.

Kiss me,
with a kiss so full of love
like no one has ever kissed me
since the day that I was born.

Love me,
love me until you feel the madness
and understand the bitter pain
that I am suffering for you...

and understand the bitter pain
that I am suffering for you

(CD "The Very Best of Plácido Domingo)

The World of Flamenco

A vigorous rhythmic dance style of the Andalusian Gypsies

Music or song suitable to accompany a flamenco dance

Merriam-Webster dictionary

There is no better ambassador for the Andalucian Flamenco than the film director Carlos Saura. He has made several beautiful films and documentaries featuring the art of flamenco. My own favourite, the documentary “Flamenco” (1995) includes perfomances of some of the best flamenco singers, dancers and guitarists. It is a musical and visual feast on the highest artistic level. Buy the DVD if you are interested in exploring the world of flamenco!

Here is an excerpt from “Flamenco” and here is another one:

PS

I just found out that Carlos Saura has made a sequel to “Flamenco”, which premiered in Madrid only a few weeks ago. The sequel “Flamenco Flamenco” is something to look forward to. Hopefully it will soon be available also on DVD for international audiences.

Santiago de Compostela

(Detail of map from 1648)

The 1000-year-old pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain has always fascinated me - although I have never actually done it. But several of my friends have, and they all say it was worth the hardships encountered on the long walk which can take from six to eight weeks. I still nurture a hope to walk at least a small distance on one of the routes leading to Santiago de Compostela some time in the not too distant future ...

For all those, who plan to make the pilgrimage, there is a wonderful internet resource with a plethora of excellent advice and pictures. The site is well worth visiting even if you don´t plan to do the pilgrimage.

http://www.santiago-compostela.net/

(Detail of map from 1648)