JORDI SAVALL CONCERT
It is concert season in Tropical South Florida, as you might have guessed by the recent rash of musically-related posts. The Garden Music Festival was a beautiful beginning to the new year, and we have since enjoyed a piano concert and a matching band concert. The crown jewel of the season, however, was Jordi Savall’s return to Miami in February. I considered myself lucky to have attended one Jordi Savall concert, so you can imagine my excitement when I saw the Tropical Baroque Festival on his concert schedule.
The excitement increased as program details were slowly released. Jordi Savall would be performing! Jordi Savall would be conducting! They would be performing stage music written for Shakespeare’s plays! Excerpts from the plays would be performed by drama students!
The concert was given in South Beach, a ‘happening place’ for tourists, as Papa would phrase it. While we waited for the church doors to open, we walked up and down the street mall—passing friendly restaurant hosts offering caviar, checking out the undercarriage of the new Tesla, and listening to foreign accents. {It’s German season now.}
When we returned to the the church, a small crowd—clutching programs and CD’s, humming with excitement—was already pressed around the tall arching doors. When I had called a month earlier to reserve tickets, I had been told that the concert was certain to be sold-out quickly.
I think it must have been!
The doors opened, tickets were taken, and people swarmed the long nave and aisles.
We took the pew behind two German ladies endearingly eager to glimpse Jordi Savall’s chair and Jordi Savall’s viola de gamba and Jordi Savall, the man himself. In the next row sat the family of the Mexican consul, who had helped fund festival events. Coralie and I may have stared slightly; they had such wonderful family interaction.
A gentlemen stood up in the absence of the master of ceremonies, to introduce ‘a man who needs no introduction,’ the internationally acclaimed performer on viola de gamba, who—together with his family—has inspired a new and widespread appreciation for early music. The audience and ensemble rose to salute the ‘King of Baroque,’ as he ascended the stage with his beautiful instrument and took a seat at the front.
Savall performed with the ensemble for the first suite, and stood up to conduct the remainder of the program. Between certain movements, the Juilliard actors from Group 45 performed excerpts from Shakespeare’s plays—The Winter’s Tale, Macbeth, The Tempest and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. {It reminded me of our Shakespeare Vignettes, but much more sophisticated!} Theirs was the most natural delivery of Elizabethan language that I have yet the pleasure of hearing in a live performance.
Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.
Watching the violinists was a joy, especially seeing the spirited performances of concertmaster Manfredo Kreamer and second violinist Noemy Gagnon-Lafrenais. Kevin Payne dominated center-stage with a magnificent theorbo. And I do think that was the first time I have heard a harpischord in person; Igancio Pego had the honors. I also gave special attention to the recorder players, and hope one day to play like them.
Please enjoy the following YouTube recordings of two suites from the evening’s program. The last is a recording of a different performance also conducted by Jordi Savall.
Masque of Oberon, The Winter’s Tale
and The Witch, by Robert Johnson
after A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
The standing ovation was thunderous and long; we clapped until my shoulders were sore. The musicians and actors bowed and bowed again, then bowed again and once more. We stopped only when Savall took the mic to introduce the encore—a Renaissance dance, as far as I could tell by his thick and lovely Catalan accent. He said he’d need our help and demonstrated a clapping pattern for us to imitate. ‘But not too loud,’ he warned with a smile, when we responded enthusiastically.
And then the glorious music began, and with an almost cheeky smile, Savall turned to the audience with an imperative wave of his hands. We made a broken start but warmed up very quickly. We may even have been too loud. ;-)
{Watch a similar encore at another Jordi Savall concert HERE.}
It was so much fun! Everywhere I looked there were broad smiles, and perhaps also wrinkled brows as we waited on the great conductor’s signal. Laughter was mixed with the applause as Savall and the ensemble left the stage after several bows.
If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber’d here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
If you pardon, we will mend:
And as I am an honest Puck,
If I have unearned luck
Now to ‘scape the serpent’s tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.
• Jordi Savall concert for the Tropical Baroque Festival 2014 •
March 11, 2014