I shall be presenting an eclectic range of pieces ranging from classical to folkloric to "popularized" music with folkloric influences from countries including Spain, Portugal, Greece, Russia, Korea, Mexico, Argentina ...
Meantime, please enjoy "Balada" by Ciprian Porumbescu, with the celebrated Romanian violinist Ion Voicu, a pupil of David Oistrakh. This incredibly poignant piece haunted me throughout my travels in Romania.
Click here to listen to "Balada"
The Portugese have a form of song; analogous in some ways to the Flamenco of southern Spain, but, again, in others very different; which is know as "Fado" and has developed through two centuries, out of the dockland cafes of Lisbon. It is truly unique is its style and rituals. Deeply tragic, the singer conjures loss of the beloved, so often at sea, and is accompanied by a Spanish Guitar (called confusingly "Viola") and a lute-shaped instrument with twelve metal strings, played with a plectrum (even more confusingly called "Guitarra"). As a young lad in England I would listen to Radio Lisbon where, at that time, Fado was always played and I became enchanted!
Click to listen to "Naufragio" or "Shipwreck", sung by Amalia Rodrigues
Las Morillas de Jaen - popular Spanish song of the 15th century sung by Germaine Montero
