Jordi Savall & Hespèrion XXI: Un Mar de Musicas

Jordi Savall, “a magical musician,” (Washington Post) brings his ancient music ensemble Hespèrion XXI to the stage for a collaboration honoring the more than 25 million victims of European slavery. Featuring the works of Spanish, Portuguese, Mexican, and French composers from the 15th through 19th centuries, this program brings the music and the instruments of these cultures to Worcester. Savall, an acclaimed gamba player, expertly weaves tradition with today, combining historical and modern instruments on stage.

“With music, you must know about history, about current events, how we can prepare a better life. If an artist is not able to change the world, he’s not an artist.” (Jordi Savall) In 2008, UNESCO appointed Savall an “Artist for Peace”, and in 2009 he was appointed an Ambassador of the European Year for Creativity and Innovation by the European Union. Savall is vocal about discovering the “magical mystery of music”, and passionate about its place in the world.

What is the Viola da Gamba? The viola da gamba (also referred to as ‘gamba and viol) is a six-stringed fretted instrument that’s held and bowed like a cello. Popular during the Renaissance and Baroque eras, the instrument emerged to fill in continuo sections, in Gregorian Chant, in ensembles. It gained popularity at the time and has made a resurgence in popularity in the last century; to this day, there remain a number of solo works written for the instrument as well as paintings of musicians with the instrument since its invention.