Treasures from Byzantine Music Manuscripts, 15th - 19th centuries - Constantinople & En Chordais

ENSEMBLES CONSTANTINOPLE & EN CHORDAIS
Treasures from Byzantine Music Manuscripts, 15th - 19th centuries
Kiya Tabassian, setar, voice, co-leader
Kyriakos Kalaitzidis, oud, voice, co-leader
Nikos Andrikos, chant
Didem Bașar, kanun
Hamin Honari, tombak & daf
Tanya LaPerrière, viola d’amore
Kianoush Khalilian, ney
Patrick Graham, percussions
PROGRAM
00:34
Segah Muhammes Peshrev
Anonymus, MS Gritsanis 3 (Zakynthos island, 18th century)
Transcription: Kyriakos Kalaitzidis - Thomas Apostolopoulos
06:15
Tasnîf Persikon
Abdülqadir Marâghî, MS Leimonos 259 (Lesvos island, dated 1572)
Transcription: Thomas Apostolopoulos
10:45
Chairesthe kampoi chairesthe
(Plains be happy)
Greek traditional song, MS Iviron 1189 (Month Athos, dated 1562)
Transcription: Thomas Apostolopoulos
29:00
Evic (Ôj) Semai
Shâh Abbâs (1571-1629), MS Hellenic Philological Association of Constantinople 44 (18th century)
Transcription: Kyriakos Kalaitzidis - Thomas Apostolopoulos
32:02
Nevâ [Peshrev] [Persikon]
Anonymus, MS Konstantinos Psachos Library - University of Athens 60 (18th century)
Transcription: Kyriakos Kalaitzidis - Thomas Apostolopoulos
36:21
Anarchos Theos, Byzantine Carols
(Beginningless God)
Anonymus, MS Gritsanis 8 (Zakynthos island, dated 1698)
Transcription: Thomas Apostolopoulos
40:25
Percussion Duo
Patrick Graham & Hamin Honari
45:11
Buselik Pesherv
Dimitri Cantemir (1673-1723) MS Istanbul Universitesi Kutuphanesi, Turkiyat Enstitusu, 2768.
50:51
Gavesht Saz Semai
Dimitri Cantemir (1673-1723), MS Istanbul Universitesi Kutuphanesi, Turkiyat Enstitusu, 2768.
54:24
Pote kaneis as men ipi
(Never let anyone say)
Petros Peloponnesios (1740-1778), MSS RAL 927, 62r / RAL 925, 6r / LKP 19/173, 118r / ELIA, 75r / RAL 784, 10r / Iaşi 129, 47 / Vatopediou 1428, 48
Transcription: Kyriakos Kalaitzidis
59:07
Valte filoi mes ti vrysi, to krasi mas na drosisei
(Friends, put our wine in the tap to cool)
Nikeforos Kantouniares (ca. 1770-ca. 1820), verses by Athanasios Christopoulos (1772- 1847). MSS RAL 784, 81r / Iaşi 129, 309 / Vatopediou 1428, 316
Transcription: Kyriakos Kalaitzidis - Thomas Apostolopoulos
1:03:06
Hicâz [Saz] Semâ’î
Anonymus, MS Konstantinos Psachos Library - University of Athens 60 (18th century)
Transcription: Kyriakos Kalaitzidis - Thomas Apostolopoulos
1:08:44
Hejāz Kar
Anonymus, MS Hellenic Philological Association of Constantinople 44 (18th century)
Transcription: Kyriakos Kalaitzidis
Both ensembles «En Chordais» and «Constantinople» have devoted special attention and energy to the promotion of intercultural dialogue, identifying and promoting the many levels at which the musical heritages of the Mediterranean and beyond are intimately connected and interdependent. By this project both ensembles join their talents again and propose a unique opportunity for the audience to hear the sounds of Eastern Mediterranean Art Music in the 15th to 19th centuries.
The recent research undertaken by Dr. Κalaitzidis on Byzantine and Post-Byzantine music manuscripts is the cornet stone of this program. These manuscripts allow us with a fair degree of certainty to reach historical depths that were previously unattainable. It is worth noting that from the middle of the 10th century Byzantine music teachers developed a system of music notation based phonetic signs. About 7,500 Byzantine and Post-Byzantine music manuscripts survive today. This project deals with the phenomenon of the use of this Byzantine system of notation for the writing down of secular music, whether of Greek, Persian, Ottoman or Arabic origin.
Today, the Post-Byzantine music manuscripts are considered one of the most significant written sources for secular music of the East: a total of 4,200 pages containing transcribed secular pieces. The manuscripts mention seventy-four named composers including Greeks, Turks, Persians, Arabs, Jews, as well as many anonymous composers, with a total of approximately 1060 works recorded within them: Ottoman court music, Phanariot songs, Persian Art Music, as well as a few Greek folk songs.
These written sources provide us with an astounding possibility to know and hear examples of the Mediterranean Art Music from these centuries. Furthermore, this concert underlines the presence of Mediterranean music culture and its dialogue with the other major cultural forces throughout a significant phase of the history of what is today the Middle East.
The fruitful collaboration of the two ensembles «En Chordais» and «Constantinople» go back to 2000. Since then, they have worked together on numerous projects and presented near 50 concerts all around the world. This project is for them a dream becoming reality, after so many years of collaboration, discussion, and research on the manuscripts. Rediscovering and reinterpretation of these masterpieces composed by visionary composers of the passed centuries are an overwhelming process and bring to light the beauty and intercultural facet of this musical art.