Bir Miftuħ Festival - Mediterranean music of the Middle Ages
This year the 12th edition of the annual Bir Miftuħ International Music Festival held at the Church of Santa Marija of Bir Miftuħ (the restoration of which was sponosored by MIA), one of the finest examples of Maltese mediaeval architecture still...
This year the 12th edition of the annual Bir Miftuħ International Music Festival held at the Church of Santa Marija of Bir Miftuħ (the restoration of which was sponosored by MIA), one of the finest examples of Maltese mediaeval architecture still standing today, was launched on May 23 with an unusual and very attractive flute and percussion concert sponsored by the Istituto Italiano di Cultura and performed by Giorgia Santoro - flute, piccolo, bansouri and dizi and Vito De Lorenzi - percussion, esraj and santoor.
The festival has become synonymous with high calibre performances, which, thanks to the indefatigable efforts of Cettina Caruana Curran on behalf of Din l-Art Ħelwa, draws a nucleus of keen music lovers in the knowledge that what awaits them is yet another magical music moment.
And the concert lived up to their expectations. The two musicians deftly accompanied us on a journey back in time, performing riveting melodies which sounded refreshingly contemporary despite their age, within a repertoire based on revived mediaeval dances, expressions of joy and creativity found in the Middle Ages and on Christian chants and devotions expressed during pilgrimages such as the Cantiga de Santa Maria, and ancient sephardic music. These fell within the project titled La Cantiga de la Serena, which aimed at giving a fresh breath of life to ancient Mediterranean music which in itself can be considered a tangible cultural bridge between east and west, particularly this year which marks the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. In this light, the concert became a concrete example of how different cultures and religions can live in harmony and survive for centuries through musical experiences and at the same time give insight into an epoch when the musical traditions of different people intermingled, thus enhancing their everyday life.
As succinctly described in the introductory words of the programme, the enterprise "is a journey through solemn dance, engaging rhythms and melodies full of unexpected turns echoed in modern experimental dance. It is the music chanted and danced by the Christian pilgrims while travelling to the monastery of Monsarrat and during the night vigils in churches when they performed to simple Spanish folk music mixed with intricate and elegant music from Italy and France." Also encapsulated in this music were the hypnotic rhythms of the nomads, the fine Islamic technique and the uneven tempo of Greek and Balkan music.
The musicians performed the two parts of the programme with impeccable precision, employing a wide range of percussive and wind techniques. The pièce de resistance was Les Folies d'Espagne, variations on a mediaeval melody by Marin Marais for solo flute which was performed with a crystal clarity, an attribute which in fact was the hallmark of the entire performance. Featuring lamenti, saltarelli, canti, romanze and various other love songs and prayers, and performed with remarkable alacrity, the entire experience kept us enthralled from beginning to end.
The festival has become synonymous with high calibre performances, which, thanks to the indefatigable efforts of Cettina Caruana Curran on behalf of Din l-Art Ħelwa, draws a nucleus of keen music lovers in the knowledge that what awaits them is yet another magical music moment.
And the concert lived up to their expectations. The two musicians deftly accompanied us on a journey back in time, performing riveting melodies which sounded refreshingly contemporary despite their age, within a repertoire based on revived mediaeval dances, expressions of joy and creativity found in the Middle Ages and on Christian chants and devotions expressed during pilgrimages such as the Cantiga de Santa Maria, and ancient sephardic music. These fell within the project titled La Cantiga de la Serena, which aimed at giving a fresh breath of life to ancient Mediterranean music which in itself can be considered a tangible cultural bridge between east and west, particularly this year which marks the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue. In this light, the concert became a concrete example of how different cultures and religions can live in harmony and survive for centuries through musical experiences and at the same time give insight into an epoch when the musical traditions of different people intermingled, thus enhancing their everyday life.
As succinctly described in the introductory words of the programme, the enterprise "is a journey through solemn dance, engaging rhythms and melodies full of unexpected turns echoed in modern experimental dance. It is the music chanted and danced by the Christian pilgrims while travelling to the monastery of Monsarrat and during the night vigils in churches when they performed to simple Spanish folk music mixed with intricate and elegant music from Italy and France." Also encapsulated in this music were the hypnotic rhythms of the nomads, the fine Islamic technique and the uneven tempo of Greek and Balkan music.
The musicians performed the two parts of the programme with impeccable precision, employing a wide range of percussive and wind techniques. The pièce de resistance was Les Folies d'Espagne, variations on a mediaeval melody by Marin Marais for solo flute which was performed with a crystal clarity, an attribute which in fact was the hallmark of the entire performance. Featuring lamenti, saltarelli, canti, romanze and various other love songs and prayers, and performed with remarkable alacrity, the entire experience kept us enthralled from beginning to end.