Les larmes et le feu des muses is the evocative title of a splendid concert by Catalan gambist and maestro Jordi Savall. A program which, from the very first notes, seduced an attentive and respectful audience
As curtain-raiser, we were treated to a fine performance of a cantata by Samuel Scheidt, a contemporary of Claudio Monteverdi, masterfully interpreted by the ensemble Hespèrion XXI.
The soft entrance of La Capella Reial de Catalunya was a magnificent moment in which the voices of a soprano, a mezzo-soprano, a tenor, a baritone and a bass blended perfectly with the acoustics of the Maison Symphonique, immersing us in the Renaissance.
The next part was just as successful, with music by John Dowland and Anthony Holborne. But in this first part of a program without an intermission, the influence of Monteverdi and the care taken by Jordi Savall to marry voices and viols were clearly evident.
There’s not a dull moment in this celebration of joy, sorrow and love!
The performers were generally very good, and the stage presence of tenor Ferran Mitjans was simply remarkable. I also really enjoyed Anna Piroli, a magnificent soprano. In my opinion, a highlight of the concert was the duet with Anna Piroli and baritone Mauro Borgioni. The only downside was the presence of the mezzo-soprano, whom I found a little self-effacing.
The end of the program was marked by a very long standing ovation, with bravos from all over the hall.
Speaking before the encore, Jordi Savall underlined his pleasure at playing in this magnificent hall with such a warm audience. In English, he said he was sad to see young people dying instead of making music in the Middle East conflict. Especially as October 7 marked the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel and the Israeli response to the terrorist attacks in the Gaza Strip.
After more heartfelt applause, Jordi Savall took us a little further afield from Monteverdi’s Italy. He even took us to Lima, Peru in 1780, when a bishop ordered musicians to collect all the songs and dances observed around the city’s cathedral. The result: two songs and dances in an indigenous language inspired by the Passion of Christ.
It was a wonderful end to a concert that allowed me to appreciate Savall’s talent on the viola da gamba and that of his Hespèrion gambists, not to mention the superb voices of La Capella Reial De Catalunya.
Photo : Adam Mlynello
