Orient- Occident 1200- 1700, 2006. Ensemble Hesperion XXI, direction Jordi Savall.

Label:
ALIA VOX. AV 9849. One compact disc, Booklet (55 pp.) in French, English, and Spanish
with colour photographs.

Metaphorically speaking, the aim of this album is to reconcile links between the East and the
West. In one hand, the album is a nostalgic gaze at the distant past. On the other hand, it is an
introspective analysis of the modern world. In other words, the album’s twenty one tracks are
testimony of a time in which Jews, Christians, and Muslims peacefully interacted. In modern
times, this fact is an example in order to end the conflicts between ideologies and religions.
This could be the reason that motivated a group of musicians from different nationalities and
creeds to engage in this project. In this album, Hesperion XXI ensemble is formed by Khaled
Arman (rubab), Osman Arman (tulak) and Siar Hashimi (tablas) from Afghanistan; the
Greek Dimitri Psonis (santur), Yair Dalal (oud) from Israel, the Moroccan oud player Driss
El Maloumi, and the Spanish percussionist Pedro Estevan. The ensemble was directed by the
string player Jordi Savall. The twenty one tracks are divided into three sections. Each section
includes Turkish maqam, Medieval Spanish music, Sephardic songs, music of the Italian
trecento and Persian music. The album also contains music from Morocco and Afghanistan.
The track Ya Nabat Elrichan is the only piece that combines two traditions, namely the
Judeo- Iraquienne traditions. However, if we analyse the above regions and their music; we
will find that within a span of five hundred years, namely from 1200 to 1700 AD, different
events occurred. These events might have forced people to move from one region to another.
These people brought with them their culture hence their musical traditions. Most of the
regions in question are part of the Mediterranean. This album allows us to hear the Arabic
and Jewish influence, in other regions than the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the accents of
Ottoman influence. The music presented in this album developed in different cultural centres
such as courtly music and traditional music preserved either in texts or in the oral tradition.
We can say that Orient- Occident 1200- 1700 aimed to show us how close related are the
musics found throughout the Mediterranean. Despite the religious, ideological and racial
differences, the Mediterranean remains a place in our mind in which all cultures are united.
Generally speaking, the music is interpreted with an exact precision, almost in a classical
western manner. After hearing Arabic music field recordings, the interpretation seem less
authentic. We can say that these musicians attempted to recreate ancient music in a modern
manner; the reason behind this is the fact that these musicians were “classical” trained. In
conclusion, the album has an unquestionable validity because it was conceived ideologically,
and historically. The album was well recorded and mixed; moreover, it has a very good sound
quality. All musicians are excellent in their performances, and lastly the album cover is
superb which surely will meet the expectations of any customer.