This is the story of a factually documented meeting between Saint Francis of Assisi and Sultan Al Malik Al Kamil, King of Egypt, in 1219, which sparked the idea of a musical encounter between his group and the Holland Baroque orchestra in the mind of Kiya Tabassian, artistic director of the Constantinople ensemble. The meeting between the two men during the Fifth Crusade led to intense philosophical and theological exchanges, which transformed into mutual admiration and, one could almost say, friendship. If, in an era so strongly marked by Islamic-Christian misunderstandings and open conflict, this rapprochement was possible, it is probably just as possible, if not more so, today.
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In short, guided by this spiritual and humanistic inspiration, the Montreal musician launched this project which culminated in this magnificent album. Space for meeting and dialogue, it is a true fusion of the arts, much more than a simple populist crossover scheme. There is no original music that can be associated with this unprecedented meeting. So, it had to be imagined. Kiya Tabassian himself, but also the two Steenbrink sisters (Judith and Tinneke), co-directors of Holland Baroque, and Didem Basar, the virtuoso of the kanun from Constantinople, join the effort to create a sound universe rich in emotions and evocations of intertwined cultures.
It draws from both the still nascent European advanced musical art of the 13th century and the more flourishing one of the Muslim world at the same time. In eleven tracks, a symbolic journey through time, the evolution of mutual perceptions and emotions comes to life in our minds in an extremely captivating way, never tacky.
A very beautiful and great achievement, worthy of the humanist and pacifist ideals that are its source and direct expression.
