S I R B A O C T E T Tantz ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com © © Bernard Martine “Tantz! has its roots in the Eastern IT IS A PORTRAIT OF LIFE ITSELF! Europe of my grandparents before they emigrated nearly 100 years “It is a portrait of life itself – a lifetime T A N ago. I wanted to rediscover this of love that no longer exists to which intrinsic element of my cultural song is the only possible testimony we orientation by revisiting this music as the classical musician I am can have in the end. It encapsulates a TZ today.” whole era which used to exist and isn’t there any more but which will live on in Inspired by the migration both of the souls of those who value it and we people and of their music, the must all value it because it comes ! show forms a kind of bridge directly from the heart. between Romania, Moldova, Russia and Hungary and their That is what it is. rich, interwoven treasuries of traditional folk music. Each We must thank these wonderful carefully selected piece retains the musicians who have come together to identity and authenticity which we share and sustain this symbol of love, must protect and pass on, like Ariadne’s thread, thereby continuing the musical heritage reanimating a forgotten time that is that is an ode to life – moving, joyful and tinged with humour. ever present. Richard Schmoucler, artistic Thank you!” director (translated from original French) Ivry Gitlis, Paris, September 30th 2014 (translated from the original French) AN ENERGETIC AND HEARTFELT MUSICAL JOURNEY Tantz! means dance in Yiddish and this title eludes to the emotion, elegance and vigour of the show itself. With pieces characterised by the traditional themes of Doina, Hora and Sirba, Tantz! captures the spirit of village wedding parties where travelling klezmorim and folk bands would set the celebratory mood with their music. The album was released in October 2015 on La Dolce Vita label and won a Choc Classica. The release was followed by five promotional performances at l’Espace Pierre Cardin in Paris and later went on tour. Tantz! has since been performed in leading concert halls in France and abroad. The octet’s fifth album is signed and supported by the iconic, virtuoso violinist Ivry Gitlis. Tantz ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com PROGRAM THE MUSICIANS Traditional repertory The Sirba Octet T A N Kolomishka Richard Schmoucler violin 1 Fantaisie Roumaine T Z Christian Brière violin 2 Suite de Moldavie David Gaillard viola Doina Ciobanului / Sirba Claude Giron cello ! Vu bistu geven/ Bernard Cazauran bass Der yid in Yerushalaim / Batuta de la Sarata Philippe Berrod clarinet Bessaraby Iurie Morar cymbalum Christophe Henry piano Fantaisie Hongroise Arrangements : Cyrille Lehn Hora Dance / Hora Flacailor Duration : 1h45 (Without Oyfn Veg Shteyt A Boym / intermission) Avreml der Marvikher Coragheasca Jalea Tiganilor / Opa Tsupa / Yom Shabes yom A Gute Vokh Doina clarinette / Ciganski Stakato Ikh shtey unter a bokserboym, music Chava Alberstein Tumbalalaika / Roumania, Roumania Hora de Mana Pe Batai / Di Mashke Tantz ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com When violinist Richard Schmoucler The Sirba Octet continued to work founded the Sirba Octet in 2003, with Isabelle Georges on Yiddish he created an entirely new sound. Rhapsody, a show based on T A N With arrangers Cyrille Lehn and traditional Yiddish music but Yann Ollivo, five fellow musicians accented with elements of jazz, from the Orchestre de Paris, a salsa, musicals, rock and samba. pianist and a cimbalom player, he Commissioned by the Orchestre de TZ formed a unique ensemble with a Pau Pays de Béarn, conducted by fresh perspective on klezmer, Fayçal Karoui, Yiddish Rhapsody Yiddish and gypsy music. was unique in its staging of the octet alongside a 50-piece ! orchestra and was therefore able to In collaboration with the Orchestre perform orchestral as well as de Paris, the Sirba Octet performed chamber music. The show became Un violon sur les toits de Paris, (A their third album with Naïve, and fiddler on the rooves of Paris), at was performed with the Orchestre the Théâtre Mogador, a concert Lamoureux at the Théâtre des which they developed into their Champs-Élysées, the Orchestre de first acoustic album, A Yiddish Trier in Germany, the Liège Royal Mame, released in 2005 under the Philharmonic, the Tonkustler label Ambroisie (Naïve). With Orchester at Festspielhaus and at Slavic and Yiddish nuances, this Musikverein in Vienna. anthology of Eastern European melodies is drawn from Their albums have received critical Schmoucler’s own memories of acclaim in the press, winning happy family gatherings. notably a ‘10 de Répertoire- Classica’ for Du Shtetl à New York, SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC the European Association for PARTNERSHIPS Jewish Culture prize and a Choc de Classica for Tantz! The group was also the subject of a documentary In 2007, as part of the Festival by Alain Duault for France 3 d’Île-de-France, the Sirba Octet entitled A day with the Sirba Octet worked with Isabelle Georges, the and Isabelle Georges. In 2011 the multi-talented singer, dancer and Sirba Octet and Isabelle Georges actress known as a ‘triple threat’, to were selected by the Victoires de la produce Du Shtetl à New York. An Musique Classique to appear array of music from the shtetl and alongside the Orchestre des Pays standards from the golden age of de la Loire conducted by John American musical theatre, via jazz, Axelrod. ragtime and lullabies composed by second generation immigrants, the show charts the journey made by Appearing regularly at leading millions of Eastern Europeans festivals in France and abroad, the from their shtetls, or villages, to Sirba Octet have performed at New York, melting pot of musical many prestigious venues including influences from all over the world. the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, The show was inspired by Fabienne the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam Rousso-Lenoir’s documentary Du and Musikverein in Vienna with Shtetl à Broadway and celebrates longer runs at Théâtre Mogador, heredity and inheritance, an l’Européen, La Cigale et à l’Espace important foundation of the Pierre Cardin à Paris. In 2012, they Yiddish community. took part in the Festival Radio Classique at the Olympia with Isabelle Georges and, in 2013, they appeared at Musiques en fête aux Chorégies d’Orange which was broadcast live on France 3. Tantz ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com Thanks to their talented arranger LATEST RELEASE – TANTZ ! Cyrille Lehn, the Sirba Octet are constantly enriching their In October 2015, the Sirba Octet T A N reperto ire, adding pieces that range released their fifth album Tantz! on from the most famous to the lesser La Dolce Volta record label. In known. Lehn worked with the November 2015, following the group on a project for which they album release, the group gave five TZ were joined for the first time by concerts at l’Espace Pierre Cardin. Catherine Lara. This new Tantz! is a journey into music you adventure led to the album Au can dance to, led by the masterly cœur de l’âme Yiddish (The Spirit musicians of the Sirba Octet and ! of the Yiddish), released on Sony in their exceptional rendition. This November 2012. Captivated by remarkable ensemble, midway their world, Catherine Lara chose between classical and klezmer eight of her most acclaimed pieces music, has revived the traditional to record with the Sirba Octet. In music of Eastern Europe, creating April 2013, they performed the new arrangements based on the album live for two concerts at principals of more scholarly music. l’Alhambra in Paris. This musical masterpiece lets you Sirba Octet’s orchestral show was wander through doina, hora, sirba one of the highlights of their 2015 and other klezmer and gypsy style season. For Sirba Orchestra! they dances. Linking Romania, once again worked with the Moldova, Russia and Hungary, Orchestre de Pau Pays de Béarn Tantz! makes an expressive conducted by Fayçal Karoui with a journey, flitting across borders and guest appearance from Nicolas expanding horizons. The great, Kedroff, the talented balalaika iconic violinist Ivry Gitlis wrote a player. The show comprised a foreword for the album and series of performances at the Palais endorses the project. Beaumont in Pau in June 2015 that were broadcast live on Radio CLASSICAL WORLD MUSIC Classique. Focussing on Yiddish and Slavic music, the show is a window on the lively and moving The vigour, intensity and musical traditions of Eastern originality of the Sirba Octet’s Europe. The group will take the arrangements bring to life the show to the Orchestre de Bretagne familiar tunes of Eastern Europe – and the Orchestre Royal a body of music characterized by Philharmonique de Liège in 2017. the wanderings of a whole population, in which sentiment and creative flair are bound together. Unparalleled outside of the conventional circuit, the group skilfully unite genres and combine both orchestral and chamber music. Sirba Octet’s unique vision puts them in their own league as they pioneer a new genre – Classical World. Tantz ! Sirba Octet www.sirbaoctet.com RICHARD SCHMOUCLER DAVID GAILLARD Viola Violin & artistic director TH The son of a rock guitarist and a Member of the Orchestre de Paris since storyteller, David Gaillard came to music E 1998, Richard Schmoucler trained at the through oral transmission and Conservatoire de Paris under Gérard improvisation. He was named top Poulet, Maurice Moulin, Devy Erlih and musician of his year in Jean Sulem’s viola Alexis Galpérine for violin and Bruno class at the CNSM in Paris, winning the Pasquier and David Walter for chamber Premier Prix by unanimous decision with music. In 1990 he was awarded first prize the congratulations of the jury, as well as diplomas both in violin and chamber the Premier Prix in harmony by music.