
Album: L'Orient des troubadours
Video: Français 844, XIII-XIV secolo
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For many years musicologists and historians have tried to find the origin of troubadour poetry. The conclusions reached from research, studies and publications over the years have generated two schools of thought which we could summarize as follows: the first is based on the belief that the musical and poetic style of the troubadours comes from the East, which came down to us through the Crusades and contact with the Muslims of Spain; the second that the inspiration comes from sacred music.
On the back of this publication we find written: “Amongst the multiple sources of inspiration known to the art of the troubadours, it is the Arabic-Andalusia's influence that the baritone Jean-Paul Rigaud and the violist Jasser Haj Youssef have chosen to bring to light. To confront this repertoire with the ornamentation of eastern traditions, with improvisation, whilst preserving the originality of the courteous song, whose first supporting instrument was the spoken word, is the path chosen and followed by the Ensemble Beatus through this disc.”
Personally I believe that, as often, if not always, happens, there is hardly a single influence behind an artistic or philosophical current: more often it is a series of conditions, fashions and cultures which, by changing, generate new ideas. The proximity to Spain, or rather to Al-Andalus, and to the Arab culture to the west, to France to the north with its chivalric traditions and to Italy to the east, with its Latin culture and sacred song have certainly created a unique cultural condition and rich in nuances for Provence, cradle of the troubadours and the most brilliant ideas on European territory in the 12th and 13th centuries. From the title and from what appears written on the back of the work, the Beatus ensemble was clear in its intentions, preferring to investigate the hypothesis of a strong Middle Eastern component in the genesis of troubadour poetry, however the execution is wonderful and plausible : the music jumps carefree between various influences, sometimes Middle Eastern, sometimes sacred, sometimes courteous, without ever dwelling too much on any one of them. Perhaps in front of such a beautiful musical work I could avoid making this note, but it is precisely because of its impeccable execution, as well as my pedantry, that I cannot help but feel a little annoyed by the use of a Viola d'Amore, an instrument evidently out of temporal context.
I wish you happy listening!
Mirko Virginio Volpe
MUSICA MEDIEVALE
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1 Venite Populi - Anon. Ancienne gallicane XI secolo
2 Farai Un Vers - Guillaume IX d'Aquitaine, musique J.P. Rigaud
3 Pois Vezem - Peire Vidal
4 Pois Tornatz - Peire Vidal
5 Maqâm - Jasser Haj Youssef
6 Lanquan Li Jorn - Jaufré Rudel
7 Atressi Cum Persavaus - Rigaud De Barbezieux
8 Bachraf Samai Isbain - Trad.
9 Tres Enemics - Uc de sant Circ
10 Dhil (instrumental) - Extrait Nawbet Dhil
11 Ara-m Requier - Raimbaut de Vaqueiras
12 Lo Gent Cors - Gaucelm Faidit
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Hurdy Gurdy - Jean-Paul Rigaud (4, 7)
Viola d'Amore - Jasser Haj Youssef (1-8, 10-12)
Vocals - Jean-Paul Rigaud
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