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v t e

This article is about the music of the Sephardic Jews. For the main article on secular Jewish music, see Secular Jewish music.

There are three types of Sephardic songs—topical and entertainment songs, romance songs and spiritual or ceremonial songs. Lyrics can be in several languages, including Hebrew for religious songs, and Ladino.

As with other Middle-Eastern urban music genres, Sephardic music was based on a system of makam (Turkish plural: makamlar), which is sometimes translated as "mode," but actually embraces a broader series of musical elements.

Songs which are song by women are traditionally sung while performing household tasks, without accompaniment or harmony. Tambourines and other percussion instruments are sometimes used, especially in wedding songs. Oud and qanún are also used in some instrumentations of Sephardic music, and more modern performers incorporate countless other imported instruments.

History[link]

Sephardic music has its roots in the musical traditions of the Jewish communities in medieval Spain. Since then, it has picked up influences from Morocco, Argentina, Turkey, Greece, and the other places that Spanish Jews settled after their expulsion from Spain in 1492. Lyrics were preserved by communities formed by the Jews expelled from the Iberian Peninsula. These Sephardic communities share many of the same lyrics and poems, but the music itself varies considerably.

Because so many centuries have passed since the exodus, a lot of the original music has been lost. Instead, Sephardic music has adopted the melodies and rhythms of the various countries where the Sephardim settled in. The Greek and Turkish traditions are fairly close. The Moroccan or “western” Sephardic traditions are not that close to the eastern/Greek/Turkish traditions.

These song traditions spread from Spain to Morocco (the Western Tradition) and several parts of the Ottoman Empire (the Eastern Tradition) including Greece, Jerusalem, the Balkans and Egypt. Sephardic music adapted to each of these locales, assimilating North African high-pitched, extended ululations; Balkan rhythms, for instance in 9/8 time; and the Turkish maqam mode.

The song traditions were studied and transcribed in the early twentieth century by a number of musical ethnologists and scholars of medieval Hispanic literature. From around 1957 until quite recently, Samuel Armistead (UC Davis) with colleagues Joseph Silverman and Israel Katz collected the Judeo-Spanish song tradition from informants in North America, Turkey, the Balkans, Greece, North Africa, and Israel. The digitized recordings, with transcriptions and information about song type, is available on the website Folk Literature of the Sephardic Jews, now permanently hosted by the University of Illinois Library.

The early 20th century saw some popular commercial recordings of Sephardic music come out of Greece and Turkey, followed by Jerusalem and other parts of the Eastern Tradition. The first performers were mostly men, including the "Turks" Jack Mayesh, Haim Efendi and Yitzhak Algazi. Later, a new generation of singers arose, many of whom were not themselves Sephardic. Gloria Levy, Pasharos Sefardíes, Flory Jagoda and Janet & Jak Esim Ensemble are popular Eastern Tradition performers of this period. Gerard Edery, Savina Yannatou, Stefani Valadez, Françoise Atlan and Yasmin Levy are among the new generation of singers bringing a new interpretation to the Ladino/Judeo-Spanish heritage and, in the case of Levy and Edery, mixing it with Andalusian Flamenco.

Instrumentation[link]

Sephardic music, including pan-Sephardic music which may not necessarily be Judeo-Spanish, is primarily vocal. Instruments, when they are used, are played to accompany songs. Instrumental practice among Sephardim has generally reflected that of the host culture: Greek, Turkish, Moroccan, etc. The instruments most common are plucked lutes (fretless: 'nd, the Middle Eastern lute; and in Turkey fretted saz or sometimes mandoline or the chumbush), kanun or santur (plucked or hammered Middle Eastern zither), violin and hand drums (frame and goblet).

For weddings and other celebrations, musicians might also be hired from the Muslim community. On the other hand, skilled Jewish musicians would be hired by the Muslim community. Generally, Sephardic men played both local percussion and melody instruments, while women usually sang unaccompanied in domestic contexts, and at weddings accompanied their singing with tambourines and sometimes other percussion instruments. Molho describes Salonica Sephardic women using kitchen utensils as improvised percussion, in a manner reminiscent of Spanish and Portuguese village practice today. (Molho 2021) In the eastern Mediterranean, women musicians specializing in singing and drumming for weddings were known as tanyederas, and they played a central role in the wedding events. Some early 20th-century Ottoman-area Jewish schools taught 'udand mandoline to girls, and some women learned to play the piano. In any case, whether or not instruments are used, the main and always appropriate instrument in Sephardic music is the voice.

Medieval instruments as such are not used, except in cases such as the 'ud where the instrument has survived with minimal changes in traditional practice. Sephardim, like other traditional musicians, often adapt traditional instruments to current norms: at a Sephardic wedding one will definitely not find any medieval instruments, but will likely notice an electronic keyboard.

Composers[link]

From the sephardic music roots has grown a large corpus of original new classical music. Notable among modern composers are:

• Yitzhak Yedid, who has composed mostly for chamber groups, strives to combine classical genres with improvisation of Sephardic roots and Arabic music. Yedid's composition 'Oud Bass Piano Trio' is a good example of this.
• Betty Olivero, who has taken traditional Jewish melodies – both Ashkenazic (pertaining to Ashkenazic music) and Sephardic – and sets them in complex, profoundly dissonant contexts. Her work Serafim for soprano, clarinet, violin, cello and piano is a good example of this.
• Tsippi Fleischer, who has composed vocal works that merge contemporary Western compositional techniques with the modal, quartertone scales of Arabic music.

Musicians[link]

Sephardic ensemble Naguila from France and Morocco performing in Warszawa, September 2008.

• Ana Alcaide (Spain)
• Gloria Levy (USA)
• Judi Frankel (USA)
• Mor Karbasi (Great Britain)
• Yehoram Gaon (Israel)
• George Dalaras (Greece)
• Janet & Jak Esim (Turkey)
• BraAgas (Czech Republic)
• Avraam Perera (Israel)
• Fortuna (Brazil)
• Daddo Dganit (Israel)
• Rosa Negra - Fado Ladino (Portugal)
• Glykeria (Greece)
• Javier Ruibal (Spain)
• Los Desterrados (Great Britain)
• Françoise Atlan (France)
• Soledad Bravo (Venezuela)
• Joaquín Díaz González (Spain)
• Yosi Azulay (Israel)
• Sefarad (Turkey)
• David d'Or (Israel)
• Esther Ofarim (Israel)
• Stefanie Valadez (USA)
• María Salgado (Spain)
• Montserrat Franco (USA)
• Avishai Cohen (Israel)
• Koby Israelite (Great Britain)
• Lampa Ladino (Russia)
• Sarah Aroeste (USA)
• DeLeon (USA)
• La Mar Enfortuna (USA)
• Sophie Solomon (Great Britain)
• Adik Chezron (Germany)
• Israeli Andaluzian Orchestra (Israel)
• Al Andaluz Project (Spain)
• Voice of the Turtle

Discography[link]

• Songs of the Sephardim: Traditional Music of the Spanish Jews by La Rondinella with Tina Chancey (Dorian Discovery, 1993).
• Spring in Salonica: Sephardic Popular Songs by Savina Yannatou and Primavera En Salonico (Lyra Records, 1996).

References[link]

• Cohen, Judith. "Ladino Romance". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 370–379. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0

External links[link]

This article's use of external links may not follow Wikipedia's policies or guidelines. Please improve this article by removing excessive or inappropriate external links, and converting useful links where appropriate into footnote references. (June 2010)

• Website dedicated to Sephardic Music
• DesiretoShare Music - Beautiful Sephardic/Mizrachi Jewish Music - Listen Online
• Zemerl, the Jewish music database
• Middle Eastern Sephardic Pizmonim (songs)
• Sefarad Records, Sephardic Singer/Guitarist, Gerard Edery
• Janet & Jak Esim Ensemble at Oz Productions
• Hiiba's Sephardic Music Anthology of vintage Sephardic recordings
• Folk Literature of the Sephardic Jews, a digital library at the University of Illinois containing 40 years of field research among Sephardic communities in North America, the Balkans, Greece, Turkey, North Africa, and Israel by Professors Samuel Armistead, Joseph Silverman, and Israel Katz.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sephardic music

Jordi Savall
Background information
Birth name	Jordi Savall i Bernadet
Born	January 14, 1942 Igualada, Catalonia
Genres	Classical
Occupations	Gambist
Instruments	Viola da gamba, viola da braccio
Website	http://www.alia-vox.com/

Jordi Savall i Bernadet (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈʒɔrði səˈβaʎ]; born January 14, 1942, in Igualada, Catalonia) is a Catalan viol player, conductor and composer. He has been one of the major figures in the field of Western early music since the 1970s, largely responsible for bringing the viol (viola da gamba) back to life on the stage. His characteristic repertory ranges from Medieval to Renaissance and Baroque music, though he has occasionally ventured into the classical or even the romantic period.

Musical education[link]

Savall's musical training started at the age of six in the school choir of his native town (1947–55). After completion of training at the Barcelona Conservatory of Music (1959–65), he specialised in early music, collaborating with Ars Musicae Barcelona of Enric Gispert and studying under August Wenzinger at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland (1968–70). In 1974 he succeeded Wenzinger as professor of viola da gamba at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis.

Ensembles[link]

In 1974 he formed the ensemble Hespèrion XX (known since 2000 as Hespèrion XXI), together with the soprano Montserrat Figueras (his wife, who died in 2011), Lorenzo Alpert and Hopkinson Smith. Hespèrion XX favoured a style of interpretation characterised by great musical vitality and, at the same time, ultimate historical accuracy.

Jordi Savall with viol

In 1987 he returned to Barcelona to found La Capella Reial de Catalunya, a vocal ensemble devoted to music from before the 18th century.

In 1989 Savall created Le Concert des Nations, an orchestra which is generally dedicated to music from the baroque period, but sometimes also performs music from the classical or romantic repertoire (e.g. Sinfonía Grande Orquesta by Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga).

More recently, Savall has performed with his family. The Savall family ensemble has included Jordi Savall's late wife, Montserrat Figueras, and their two children, Arianna and Ferran. Arianna Savall plays the harp and sings, like her mother. Ferran Savall plays the theorbo (bass lute) and sings (not only with his family but also in jazz clubs in Barcelona).^[1]

Recordings[link]

Savall's discography includes more than 100 recordings. Originally recording with EMI Classics, and then from 1975 with the Astrée label of Michel Bernstein, since 1998 he has released his records under his own label, Alia Vox.^[2]

Honours and awards[link]

In 2000 Savall was awarded the Premi d'Honor Lluís Carulla, given for service to Catalan culture or for scientific, cultural or civic works in the Catalan language.

He was awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa degree by the University of Barcelona on 27 November 2006.

He was twice nominated for a Grammy, and won the 2011 Grammy Award for 'Best Small Ensemble Performance' for Dinastia Borja. Església i poder al Renaixement.

In 2008 Savall was appointed a European Union ambassador for intercultural dialogue. In June 2008 he and his wife, Montserrat Figueras, were named "Artists for Peace" by UNESCO.^[3]

In February, 2009 he received the Handel Music Prize from the city of Halle, Germany, and the National Music Prize from the National Council of Music and Arts of Catalonia. In 2010, he was given the Praetorius Musikpreis Niedersachsen and a MIDEM Classical Award, for his album "Jerusalem –La ville des deux Paix: La paix céleste et la paix terrestre."^[4]

In 2012 Savall was awarded the Léonie Sonning Music Prize.^[5]

Filmography[link]

Savall adapted and performed music for the 1991 Alain Corneau film, Tous les matins du monde. His work on this film earned him a César award from the French film industry in 1992. The soundtrack has sold more than a million copies worldwide.

As a composer, Jordi Savall has written music for the following films:

• (1991) Tous les matins du monde (All the Mornings of the World) by Alain Corneau
• (1993) El Pajaro de la felicidad (The Bird of Happiness) by Pilar Miró
• (1993) Joan the Maiden, Part 1: The Battles by Jacques Rivette
• (1994) Joan the Maiden, Part 2: The Prisons by Jacques Rivette
• (1997) Hosszú alkony (i.e. Long Dusk) by Attila Janisch
• (1997) Marquise by Vera Belmont
• (1998) Top Secret by Jacques Rivette

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jordi Savall

• Alia-vox.com, Jordi Savall's official website.
• Complete discography at Medieval.org
• The private website Classic @ la carte is devoted primarily to Jordi Savall's works.
• Misteria Paschalia Festival
• [2]

Montserrat Figueras
Montserrat Figueras in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Montserrat Figueras García
Born	(1942-03-15) 15 March 1942 (age 70)[1] Barcelona, Catalonia
Origin	Catalan
Died	23 November 2011[2] Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalonia
Genres	Early music
Instruments	Vocals

Montserrat Figueras García (Catalan pronunciation: [munsəˈrat fiˈɣeɾəs], 1942  –  2011) was a Catalan soprano who specialized in early music.

Figueras was born 15 March 1942 in Barcelona, Spain.^[1][3] After initially training as an actress, in 1966 she began studying early singing techniques together with her sister Pilar Figueras and developed an approach and technique for singing early music which combined historical fidelity with vitality.^[4][5]

In 1974 she and Jordi Savall, her husband since 1968, Lorenzo Alpert and Hopkinson Smith formed Hespèrion XX, an early music ensemble. Figueras and her husband were members of a newer version of that ensemble, Hespèrion XXI. They also founded the groups La Capella Reial de Catalunya and Le Concert des Nations.

Figueras also performed and recorded regularly as a solo artist. She and her husband performed with their children: daughter Arianna and son Ferran.^[6]

She died on 23 November 2011 in Cerdanyola del Vallès, surrounded by her family, after a long battle with cancer.^[7][8] The funeral was held at the Monastery of Pedralbes in Barcelona.^[9]

Notes[link]

Flory Jagoda (born Flora Kabilio in 1925 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina) is a Jewish American and Bosnian guitarist, composer and singer. She is known for her interpretation of Ladino songs.

Biography[link]

Flory Jagoda was born to a Bosnian Jewish family in 1925, and grew up in the Bosnian village of Vlasenica and in Sarajevo. She arrived in America as a war bride in 1946. She was raised in the Sephardic tradition in the musical Altaras family.

The Sephardic community of Sarajevo and its surrounding communities were nearly obliterated during World War II.^[1] During the war Jagoda was interned on the island of Korčula on the Dalmatian Coast. Her family escaped to Italy where she met and soon married Harry Jagoda, then in the U.S. military after which she immigrated to the United States.

Jagoda's recording Kantikas Di Mi Nona (Songs of My Grandmother) consists of songs her grandmother, a Sephardic folksinger, taught her as a young girl. Following the release of her second recording, Memories of Sarajevo, she recorded La Nona Kanta (The Grandmother Sings), songs she herself wrote for her grandchildren.

Now in her 80’s Flory has stated that Arvoliko: The Little Tree, released in 2006, will be her final solo recording. The tree, located in Bosnia, is said to be the only marker of the mass grave of 42 massacred members of the Altaras family. She refers to her four recordings as representing the four musical stages of her life. In 2006 she also released a series of duets with Ramón Tasat, Kantikas de amor i vida: Sephardic Duets.^[2]

Ladino is in serious danger of extinction but it is experiencing a minor revival among Sephardic communities, especially in music. Jagoda is a leader in this revival.^[3][4]

In 2002 she received a Lifetime Honor by the National Heritage Fellowship and the National Endowment for the Arts for her efforts in passing on the tradition of Ladino music.^[5] In 2002, Ankica Petrovic produced a documentary film about Flory and her story. Despite being in her 80's, Flory Jagoda continues to teach, write, and perform concerts.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Kantikas Di Mi Nona
• Memories of Sarajevo
• La Nona Kanta (1992)
• Arvoliko (2006)
• Kantikas de amor i vida: Sephardic Duets (2006) Duets with Ramón Tasat

Video[link]

• The Key From Spain: The Songs and Stories of Flory Jagoda (2002) A documentary film by Ankica Petrovic

See also[link]

• Judaeo-Spanish
• Sephardic Jews

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website