One of the more intimate events of the 45th Abu Gosh Vocal Music Festival was “Spanish Soul – Lorca, De Falla, Bizet”, an afternoon concert June 7th in the crypt of the 12th century Abu Gosh Crusader Benedictine Church. Those performing were soprano Hadas Faran Asia, ‘cellist Ira Givol and guitarist Oded Shouv. In this, their first performing project together, the artists took the listener on a short historical tour through vocal- and instrumental Spanish music from the 15th century through to music of the 20th century, beginning with anonymous songs. Oded Shouv gave explanations on the various works, also providing most of the arrangements for the program.
One interesting arrangement was the merging of “Mille Regretz”, a chanson attributed to Josquin des Prez (c.1440-1521), with a version of the same text composed 100 years later by Luis de Narváez (fl.1526-1549) titled “La Canción del Emperador” (The Emperor’s Song) .
‘A thousand regrets at deserting you
And leaving behind your loving face.
I feel so much sadness and such painful distress
That it seems to me my days will soon dwindle away.’
An interesting work, and one probably unfamiliar to many of us in the audience, was G.F.Händel’s secular ‘Spanish’ Cantata “Nò se emenderà jamàs” (1707), an early composition from the composer’s Italian period and the only Händel cantata in the Spanish language, calling for obbligato guitar. Perfectly scored for this trio, the artists gave it a spirited and communicative performance, celebrating Händel’s only, somewhat enigmatic foray into Spanish music. In addition to being a poet, painter, pianist and arranger, Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) collected songs from singers in Spain. We heard three of his arrangements of these, set by him for voice and piano, rearranged by Oded Shouv for guitar and voice. Beginning with the off-beat rhythms of the untamed “Anda Jaleo” (Go Make a Row), to the sultry 15th century “La Morillas de Jaén” (Jaén’s Morals) to the vivid and exuberant “Viva Sevilla!” there was much fine collaboration between the two artists, with Faran Asia infusing the songs with verve, emotion and spontaneity and Shouv displaying real expertise and virtuosity in the Flamenco style. A friend of Lorca, Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) was influenced by Flamenco-, gypsy music and by Impressionism. His “Siette Canciones Populares” (Seven Popular Songs) of 1914 feature songs from different regions of Spain, their pre-existing melodies and authentic texts arranged somewhat freely by the composer. Via the music’s fiery rhythms, its poignant moments, colorful scoring and textures and its intense dance rhythms, Faran-Asia, Shouv and Givol painted a scene of vivid Spanish colors and temperament. Punctuating the intensity and movement, time stood still in their poignant performance of the fragile lullaby “Nana”. A splendid arrangement of the Habanera and Seguidilla from Georges Bizet’s opera “Carmen” was the final vocal work on the program, with Faran Asia wholeheartedly depicting Carmen as a sensuous, fickle and hot-blooded character. Altogether, her temperament and vocal timbre and agility suit this musical genre; her performance was rewarding.
Offering a glimpse into Spanish instrumental music, Oded Shouv and Ira Givol gave a brilliant and dynamic reading of a Ricercada of Diego Ortiz (c.1510-1570), a clean, precise and athletic performance of Gaspar Sanz’ (1640-1710) “Canarios” - a lively, syncopated dance from the Canary Islands (originally written for the five-course Baroque guitar) - and a movement from Falla’s ballet “The Three-Cornered Hat” arranged by Shuv, in which the artists used instrumental effects to describe the situation involving the two main characters - an infatuated, macho judge and the miller’s gentle, faithful wife.
Offering an attractive program in the fine acoustics of the Crypt, these three artists, each known individually to the concert-going public, provided a polished and totally enjoyable musical event. This was excellent festival fare.
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