Musik des Mittelalters und der Renaissance / Duo Mediterraneo
nach der heutenoch lebendigen Spielpraxis im Mittelmerraum

medieval.org
Dabringhaus und Grimm MD+G L 3225
1988








1. Improvisation über mittelalterliche Melodien   [2:33]
Launeddas

2. La Ultime Estampie Real   [2:53]
Paris, Bibl. Nat., ms. franc. 844, fol. 104v (13. Jh.) — Piccolo-Blockflöte, Riqq

3. Tou Kastrou tis Orias, Tris Kalogeri Kritiki   [4:29]
Griechische Volkslieder, Mündliche Überlieferung — Flojera, Duff

4. Saltarello   [3:08]
Hs. Lo Brit. Mus., Add. 29987 (14.-15. Jh.) — Piccolo-Blockflöte, Bongos

5. Reigentanz aus Makedonien   [3:49]
Mündliche Überlieferung — Gaida, Tabla

6. Chanson à refrain   [2:35]
Anonymus, 13. Jh. — Panflöte, Bandir

7. Heinrich NEWSIDLER. Wascha mesa   [3:37]
»Ein Newgeordnet Künstlich Lautenbuch« (16. Jh.) — Renaissance-Laute, Taar

8. Trotto   [2:01]
Hs. Lo Brit. Mus., Add. 29987 (14.-15. Jh.) — Piccolo-Blockflöte, Taar

9. Istampita Ghaette   [6:52]
Hs. Lo Brit. Mus., Add. 29987 (14.-15. Jh.) — Tanbura, Bongos

10. Lamento di Tristano un Rotta   [3:14]
Hs. Lo Brit. Mus., Add. 29987 (14.-15. Jh.) — Krummhorn, Bandir, Riqq

11. Estampie   [2:50]
Trouvère-Lied »Souvent suspire Moncuer« (12-13. Jh.) — Piccolo-Blockflöte, Taar

12. Improvisation über arabische Rhythmen   [4:44]
Bongos

13. Omorfoula   [1:38]
Griechische Volkslieder, Mündliche Überlieferung — Piccolo-Blockflöte, Riqq

14. Como poden per sas culpas   [5:05]   CSM 166
virelai aus »Las Cantigas de Santa Maria« (13. Jh.) — Gemshorn, Tabl-Baladi

DUO MEDITERRANEO

Jannis Kaimakis · Launeddas, Piccolo-Blockflöte, Flojera, Gaida, Panflöte, Renaissance-Laute, Tanbura, Krummhorn, Gemshorn
Issam El-Mallâh · Riqq, Duff, Bongos, Tabla (Darabuka), Bandir, Taar, Tabl-baladi



Aufnahme: Schloß Nordkirchen am 3.7.1985
Text: Dr. Issam El-Mallah, Universität München
Titelbild: Albrecht Dürer: Pfeifer und Trommler · (Wallraf-Richartz-Museum, Köln) · Gestaltung: Peter Schulz
Aufnahmeleitung, Technik und Schnitt: Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm, Detmold
℗ 1988

The interpretation of medieval-and Renaissance music:

The performance of medieval music presents a great challenge to the musician. In contrast to modern scores the written notes do not give the slightest indication towards their adequate performance. In many cases only the basic outline of a melodic line is written down and needs to be completed by the instrumentalist. Medieval notation did not provide detailed instructions for its performance but served only to preserve a basic sketch of the piece. The modern performer has here the rare possibility to act not as a reproducing but as a creative musician and to contribute an essential element to the piece. Whilst studying a manuscript containing medieval dances one finds for example that the scanty melodic line needs to be completed by improvising and that no rhythm at all is recorded. Yet dance without rhythm is inconceivable. The rhythm was so obvious to the musician of that period that it was not written down but simply added to each performance. The written notes therefore need to be completed by adding a rhythm instrument to the ensemble.

This theoretical knowledge alone does not help much further if one cannot find musicians who can perform the music itself. The overwhelming majority of Conservatoire and Music Academy graduates are trained to perform music written during the last 250 years, most of them are therefore unable to make use of the creative possibilities offered by medieval music. Musicians who grew up in southern- or in non-european countries have a more intensive relationship to the nature of a medieval musician. In Egypt, for example, a melody is still only sketched in its basic outline even today, if it is written down at all. The rhythm, although a vital element in Arabian music, is never written down but is at the most implied by the type of piece sketched.


The Program:

The selected pieces of music cover a period of 400 years, beginning with the Middle Ages (13th century) up to the Renaissance (16th century). Though an instrumental ensemble, the Duo Mediterraneo also plays vocal music: vocal compositions are being interpreted instrumentally in medieval minstrel manner. Thus, besides many a dance, you will hear a virelai (B7/#14), a chanson (A6/#6), and a trouvére song (B4/#11). Some Greek dances (A5/#5) and songs (A3/#3 and B6/#13) as well as a few Arabian rhythms (B5/#12) demonstrate the parallelism between the Greek and Egyptian style of performance on the one side and the European on the other side.


The Duo Mediterraneo:

The Greek Jannis Kaimakis und the Egyptian Issam EI-Mallah met at Munich University where both were studying musicology. Since its foundation in 1900, the Munich Institute of Musicology is being concerned with studies in the field of medieval music; particular emphasize is given to the study of old music sheet and their interpretation. Through the studies in Munich University and by their own experience in their native countries Jannis Kaimakis and Issam El-Mallah discovered the parallelism between life music execution in Egypt and Greece at present, and the performance style that must have been practised in the Middle Ages. The two musicians punctuate the rhythm with the percussion instruments and colour the melody by vamping, just as this still is being done in their homeland. They apply this Mediterranean practice when playing medieval music, and this way of playing music underlines the minstrel character of their performance.

The Duo Mediterraneo plays 20 different instruments, mainly from the Mediterranean region where these instruments still have not lost their function in cultural life.