Sephardic Songs / Jana Lewitová, Rudolf Měřinský

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Arta F10047-2
released 10/1993









01 - Avrix mi galanica   [2:27]
02 - A la nana, a la buba   [2:04]
03 - Aire de mujer   [2:14]

04 - Variations on the song  'El Rey de Francia'  I   [1:21]

05 - Adio querida   [3:53]
06 - Al pasar por Casablanca   [2:33]
07 - Irme quiero   [1:24]

08 - Variations on the song  'El Rey de Francia'  II   [2:07]

09 - El rey que mucho madruga   [5:41]
10 - Ven querida   [3:30]
11 - La serena   [2:16]

12 - Variations on the song  'El Rey de Francia'  III   [3:06]

13 - Partos trocados   [2:21]
14 - Durme, durme   [2:40]
15 - Paxaro d'hermozura   [1:40]

16 - Variations on the song  'El Rey de Francia'  IV   [3:08]

17 - Noches, noches   [3:52]
18 - Un lunes por la mañana   [2:46]

19 - Variations on the song  'El Rey de Francia'  V   [1:58]

20 - Ya viene el cativo   [2:15]
21 - Esta montaña   [5:31]
22 - Quando el rey Nimrod   [4:19]



Jana Lewitová, mezzo-soprano
Rudolf Měřinský, Renaissance lutes
Hana Fleková, viola da gamba
Inge Žádná, viola da gamba
Pavel Plánka, percussion

"…All Jews, both men and women, living in and passing through Our kingdoms and Our lands are to leave Our kingdom by the end of the month of July, together with their sons and daughters and wet-nurses and Jewish relatives both adults and children, and let them not dare to return, for they do so under pain of death and the confiscation of all their property by the royal Treasury…"

Granada, 31 March 1492

This lenghty decree issued by Queen Isabella of Spain determined the fate of all Spanish Jews.
During the last millenium before the Christian era their forefathers had sailed to the Iberian penninsula with Phoenician traders, and later, together with Christians and Arabs, had created the uniquely tolerant culture of medieval Spain.

Today it is hard to say how far the Jews influenced Spanish music. One thing is certain, however: over all the centuries of the diaspora among other cultures, their songs still proclaim their Spanish origin. In mid-sixteenth century, on the other hand, the famous musician Alonso Mudarra was arranging Sephardic songs for the Spanish court.

More than five hundred years of eventful history speak to us in these Sephardic songs. Throughout the Mediterranean region, enclaves of Sephardic Jews (Jewish Spaniards), preserved their customs, their songs and their own form of Spanish, Ladino, almost up to the present day. In these songs we can trace not only Spanish, but also French and Nordic medieval ballad motifs. A miracle, we find ourselves at the roots of European music.

Our interpretation of these songs, their accompaniments and variations, was based on the style of fifteenth and sixteenth century Spanish music. We used the popular instruments of the day - viola da gamba, lute, and of course percussion instruments.

Jana Lewitová