A gift of Sephardi songs

CAROL ANN SOKOLOFF SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN

The ancient oriental sounds of Sephardi instruments and songs mingled with the light pouring in through the colorful stained glass windows of Victoria's Alix Goolden Hall to create a magical afternoon of music Jan. 12. The occasion was La Rosa Enflorece: Sephardic Song – Rhythm and Romance, a concert performed by the Anima Medieval Music duo, with guest Doug Hensley.

The soulful voice of Janice Hill and the rich texture of Pat Unruh's vielle, along with the dynamic rhythms of Hensley's oud and the pleasant jangle of the setar brought to life these very old Judeo-Spanish tunes with tremendous freshness and appeal. These songs date from the flourishing Jewish culture of the Middle Ages in Moorish Spain, kept alive for 1,000 years in Sephardi communities of North Africa, Turkey and the Balkans, as well as in Europe, Israel, Greece and North America.

Hill, who also contributed percussion on dumbek, tar and tambourine, and vielle master Unruh searched through field recordings to resurrect this stirring music, an important part of Jewish heritage that's often neglected. Their approach was somewhat academic, lacking the raw intensity of voice that often flavors the performance of this kind of music. However, their flawless technique and the beauty of Hill's agile voice more than compensated for this departure from tradition.

The concert began with an oud improvisation on an oriental scale, with Hill's voice soaring above it for a dramatic rendition of the well-known "Cuando el rey Nimrod," a song celebrating Abraham, speeding up to an exciting conclusion after solos on the oud and vielle. Surprisingly, most other songs were secular in nature, showing the influence of both European and Persian poetry, with songs about knights going off to war and longing for one's beloved.

Hill explained Anima's interest in women's music and that many of the best-known Sephardi songs have been kept alive in the synagogue but that the women's songs were generally of a secular nature. It is a gift to hear Anima revitalize such stirringly exotic songs as "Por que Iloras" and "Durme, durme," as well as the very enchanting "La Rosa Enfloresce."

The modest but enthusiastic audience in the Alix Goolden Hall (a former church now home to the Conservatory of Music) was transported to another time and place on the wings of oriental modalities, ancient rhythms and rhymes, the charm of the Judeo-Spanish dialect and the warm voice which breathed new life into most ancient tunes.

Anima has another performance of La Rosa Enflorece: Sephardic Song – Rhythm and Romance on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2:30 p.m., at the Unitarian Church of Vancouver. Tickets are $20/$15, at Black Swan Records, Sikora's Classical Records, Tanglewood Books and at the door. Call 604-731-8163 or e-mail [email protected].

Carol Ann Sokoloff is a writer and songwriter living in Victoria. She is the author of the children's book Colors Everywhere You Go and a member of Victoria's Jewish Community Choir.

^TOP