Toronto Consort Four Quarters of Jerusalem House Program
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PROGRAM Four Quarters of Jerusalem featuring special guest ensemble Rose of the Compass Armenian Quarter Sird Im Sasani Komitas Vartabed (1896-1935) Groong Traditional/Komitas Bardezum Gusan Sheram (1901-1973) Sevana Zgnorsnerou Bar Vagharshak Kotoyan (1921-1992) Yar Ari Yar Jan Traditional folk song Khrovadz Er Gusan Shahen (1909–1990) Aparani bar Traditional dance from Aparan Jewish Quarter Una tarde de Verano Sephardic folksong Los Bilbilicos Sephardic folksong Porke Yorach Sephardic folksong Toph Glen Velez Alta, Alta Sephardic folksong Intermssion Join us for the Intermission Café, located in the gym. Muslim Quarter Oud taksim Ara Dinkjian Leylit Hob Muḥammad Abd al-Wahāb (1902–1991) Abasa El Chock Traditional Arabic folksong Wayak Wayak Farid El-Atrache (1910 –1974) Christian Quarter Gran Poder a de Mandar (Cantiga de Santa Maria #33) Ghaetta 14th century Italian estampie (London, British Library, MS. Add. 29987) E! bone amourette 14th century French chanson (Oxford, Bodleian MS Douce 308) La Rotta della Manfredina 14th century Italian (London, British Library, MS. Add. 29987) IN MEMORIAM In memoriam This evening’s concert is made possible by Rita-Anne Piquet. “Rita-Anne was part of a society of fine artists who had the strength and courage to discover her own artistic vision, as a painter. She was above all else, accepting of people for who they were, had a sharp sense of humour, was fashionable and so giving in friendship, in love, in every day living. We miss you dear Rita-Anne, your spirit remains in our hearts and your gift is alive tonight and always.” – Gill Alkin ANNOUNCEMENT The David Fallis Fund for Culture Bridging Programming In May 2018, The Toronto Consort announced the establishment of The David Fallis Fund for Culture Bridging Programming in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the Early Music landscape in Toronto and beyond. The David Fallis Fund for Culture Bridging Programming will ensure our ability to continue to present programs that engage in our community’s rich and culturally diverse traditions. Today, we are thrilled to announce and graciously thank two of the fund’s founding donors. It is with sincere appreciation and gratitude that we salute: The Pluralism Fund & Rita-Anne Piquet Their generosity has established the fund with a foundational investment of $85,000. Fund contributions benefit new program and artist development including this evening’s presentation of Rose of the Compass: Four Quarters of Jerusalem and a new high school program based on last season’s Illuminations concert. To contribute to The David Fallis Fund for Culture Bridging Programming, please contact: Michelle Knight, [email protected], 416-966-1045. Tonight’s Performers are: Staff & Administration Michelle Knight, Managing Director SPECIAL GUESTS Adam Thomas Smith, Director of ROSE OF THE COMPASS Audience Engagement and Education Nellie Austin, Bookkeeper Nina Stern, winds Chris Abbott, Graphic Designer Romina Julian, Marketing and Development Assistant Ara Dinkjian, oud Yara Jakymiw, Season Brochure Graphic Designer Martin Reis, Derek Haukenfreres, Box Office Shira Kammen, vielle Peter Smurlick, Database Consultant Gordon Baker, Stage Manager Glen Velez, percussion Cecilia Booth, Front of House, Volunteer Coordinator Gordon Peck, Technical Director with Pradeep Gade, CD Sales and Event Assistant Lydia Lee, Intern Tracy Cowart, mezzo soprano Board of Directors Heather Turnbull, President Ann Posen, Past President Harry Deeg, Treasurer The Toronto Consort Frances Campbell, Secretary is a Proud Member of Jason Bernardon Jennifer Bryan Anita Nador Tiffany Grace Tobias Andrea Whitehead Follow us on Facebook and Instagram! @TorontoConsort bloorstculturecorridor.com 427 Bloor Street West, Toronto ON M5S 1X7 Box Office 416-964-6337 Admin 416-966-1045 | [email protected] TorontoConsort.org ABOUT US Top Row: David Fallis, Alison Melville, Michele DeBoer, John Pepper, Paul Jenkins Bottom Row: Katherine Hill, Terry McKenna, Laura Pudwell, Ben Grossman Photo Credit: Paul Orenstein Since its founding in 1972, The Toronto Consort to Europe and Great Britain four times, and has become internationally recognized for its frequently across Canada and into the US. excellence in the performance of medieval, The Toronto Consort has made recordings renaissance and early baroque music. Collectively for the CBC Collection, Berandol, SRI, Dorian, led by eight Artistic Associates, some of Canada’s and currently Marquis Classics, with 10 CDs to leading early music specialists have come together to its credit, two of which have been nominated form The Toronto Consort, whose members include for Juno awards. The most recent recording both singers and instrumentalists (lute, recorder, (The Italian Queen of France) was released in 2017. guitar, flute, early keyboards and percussion). Recently, the ensemble has been called Each year The Toronto Consort offers a upon to produce music for historical-drama subscription series in Toronto, presented in the TV series, including The Tudors, The Borgias and beautiful acoustic of the recently-renovated The Vikings, all produced by the cable network 700-seat Jeanne Lamon Hall, at the Trinity- Showtime. The Toronto Consort recorded St. Paul’s Centre in downtown Toronto. The the soundtrack for Atom Egoyan’s award- ensemble also tours regularly, having been winning film The Sweet Hereafter. PROGRAM NOTES Armenian Quarter memory of victims of the 1915 genocide; the Beginning in the fourth century, Armenians latter is closely linked to the ensuing diaspora. made pilgrimages to the Holy City, where many Its central metaphor is that of a crane, who stayed on as monks and ascetics. In the late represents an exile hoping to find his way home: Middle Ages they acquired a church on Mount “A crane has lost its way across the heavens; Sion and made it their cathedral, dedicated I hear him cry from yonder stormy cloud. to St. James. Over time, Armenian monks Farewell, beloved bird, where’er you roam, spring built a convent for their patriarch and the shall return and bring you back once more.” Brotherhood of St. James, patiently buying land Sevana Zgnorsnerou Bar and Yar Ari Yar Jan and houses adjoining the convent buildings. are both cast in lively 5/8 meter. Sevana refers As pilgrims came and remained, they were to Lake Sevan, one of the largest freshwater assigned homes in the quarter and granted alpine lakes in Eurasia. Its music is meant their own parish church near the presumed to reflect the lives of Sevan’s fishermen. site of the house of the biblical Annas. Its Although gusanner first surfaced in the courtyard contained an ancient olive tree to 5th century as professional singers of epics, which Jesus was believed to have been tied. in modern times gusan was used to include When the Great War broke out in 1914, all singing entertainers. Bardezum is among Jerusalem became headquarters to the Turkish the best-loved songs of Gusan Sheram, army’s VIII Corps. This posed an enormous threat who originated modern gusan song style by to the kaghakatsi (secular Armenians) living there, emphasizing simpler, folk-like materials. Gusan because official Turkish policy demanded the Shahen, who composed Khrovadz Er, was a massacre of the Armenian people. Everywhere celebrated instrumentalist and official People’s else in the Ottoman empire, Armenians were Artist of the Armenian SSR; this song’s beguiling mercilessly rounded up and “deported” (a tragic melody has made it a favorite of contemporary euphemism): while at least a million perished, musicians. The alternating 5/8 and 4/8 meters another million went into exile. Yet the kaghakatsi of Aparani bar, a folk dance from Western of Jerusalem went unmolested. Many welcomed Armenia, give it an energizing irregular swing. refugees from their homeland later in the decade. Around this time, Armenian priest and Jewish Quarter composer Komitas (1869–1935) played a central In 1161, Provençal Rabbi Abraham ben David role in preserving the traditional music of wrote: “A tradition exists with the [Jewish] Armenia by collecting and transcribing thousands community of Granada that they are from of Armenian folk songs, including Sird Im Sasani Jerusalem, of the descendants of Judah and and Groong. The former is often sung today in Benjamin.” When did these Jews first settle in Spain? One influx may have followed the streetcars. Traditional takhts (instrumental destruction of Jerusalem’s First Temple, the groups) and new pop sensations alike blare other after that of the Second. Jews, Muslims, continually from storefronts and apartment and Christians lived in relative harmony in Spain windows. This section of our concert begins with for four centuries, a unique cultural association a taksim or improvisation on the oud, the most readily apparent in Moorish architecture and common personal instrument in the Middle East, various Spanish musics. In 1492 that era came played by amateurs and professionals alike. Then to an abrupt end when Ferdinand and Isabella on to Leylit Hob, a huge song hit for its composer decreed that the nation’s Jews should be expelled. Muḥammad Abd al-Wahāb, among the most A new Diaspora was created: Jews driven from innovative of 20th-century Egyptian popular Spain came to be known as Sephardim. Many composers. He wrote this erotically charged song found their way back to Jerusalem, bringing with for friend and rival Umm Kulthum, the most them music (and a language, Ladino) they had celebrated Egyptian traditional singer of her time. long cultivated