Jordi Savall i Hespèrion XXI

Turkish in origin, the word “Balkans” derives from two expressions meaning “honey” and “blood”. The name appeared during the time of Ottoman rule, when the newcomers found great riches in those lands, but also fierce resistance. This historic episode, the rule of the Ottoman Empire, is just one of many fragments of history shared by the Balkan peoples. These also include shared Indo-European roots, the influence of Hellenistic civilisation, Romanisation, the arrival of Christianity and settlement by the Slavic peoples. In their latest production, presented at the Grec, Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI, accompanied by Greek, Bulgarian, Turkish, Hungarian, Romanian and Armenian musicians, amongst others, explore what the Balkan peoples have in common, the different musical styles that they use to celebrate the same festivity or the same life, and through which they express sorrow, pain and yearning. This concert forms a multicultural map of a European region where people share the same passions and give vent to them through the common language of music.

Idea original: Montserrat Figueras, Jordi Savall; Direcció musical: Jordi Savall; Interpretació musical: Hespèrion XXI, Gürsoy Dinçer (veu; Turquia); Tcha Limberger (veu i violí; Hongria / Romania), Amira Medunjanin (veu; Bòsnia), Stoimenka Outchikova-Nedialkova (veu; Bulgària), Katerina Papadopoulou (veu; Grècia); Músics convidats: Haïg Sarikouyoumdjian (duduk i ney; Armènia), Hakan Güngör (qanun; Turquia); Yurdal Tokcan (ud; Turquia), Dimitri Psonis (santur i guitarra moresca; Grècia)*, Nedyalko Nedyalkov (kaval; Bulgària), Gyula Csík (cimbalom; Hongria), János Dani (bracs; Hongria), Vilmos Csikós (contrabaix; Romania), Bora Dugić (frula; Sèrbia), Slobodan Prodanović (acordió; Sèrbia), Bojana Golubović (violí; Sèrbia), Slobodan Marković (orgue; Sèrbia), Milan Pavković (contrabaix; Sèrbia), Pedro Estevan (percussió; Espanya).; Viola i rabec: Jordi Savall;