The Al-Andalus classic El collar de la paloma is brought to life by Capella de Ministrers under the direction of Carles Magraner. This expert performance of a forgotten repertoire demonstrates profound knowledge and familiarity. The result is an intoxicating and unique listening experience.
Ibn Hazm of Córdoba (994-1064) was an Andalusian Islamic cleric, jurist and philosopher. He wrote several books on law and theology but it is his poetry for which he is remembered today. El collar de la paloma, or Ṭawq al-ḥamāmah in Arabic is translated as "The ring of the dove". This poetic collection, however, is not about a dove. It is a treatise on physical love in which the title is obscured into something more beautiful. It is about decorative superlatives: the dove is beautiful, but the chain is what adorns it. Maximum beauty in titles was customary for that time.
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El collar de la paloma originally consists of 30 chapters. On this cd, Capella de Ministrers presents a selection. Using similar themes, they bundle the poems into five different sections. Part I. Los fundamentos del amor inalterable ("The foundations of unchangeable love") encompasses both the heights and depths of early love. Querría saber quién era [track 04] celebrates the deepest desires of the soul to know her, not knowing whether she is a curse or a gift. The lively music reflects the poet's state of being in love. Even if the poet (sung by Iman Kandoussi) does not know if she will mean his death, the music remains upbeat.
In part II. De quien se enamore en sueños y el poder de la mirada ("Of those who fall in love in dreams and the power of the gaze") the saying "Eyes are the mirrors of the soul" receives extra attention. Love and the importance of eye contact come to the fore in this section. An instrumental version of the poem Pecaron mis ojos [track 05] opens. The vocal line is here performed by a ney (a type of flute). Even without text, the meaning of "my eyes sinned" is clear in the music. The mysterious-sounding melody with melancholic undertone is accompanied by a rhythmic ostinato in the accompaniment.
Part III. Los accidentes del amor, sus cualidades loables y vituperables ("The accidents of love, its praiseworthy and reprehensible qualities") focuses on the suffering of love. This part too opens instrumentally with Tu mensajero es como una espada [track 08]. This piece features a strong percussion basis above which the timbres of the various string instruments come to the fore. Tutti and virtuosic solo passages alternate. In these solo passages Carles Magraner, Robert Cases and Aziz Samsaoui step forward one by one and reveal the beauty of their instruments.
Love is blind is the motto of part IV. La unión amorosa, la fidelidad y la traición ("Loving union, faithfulness and betrayal"). Caen postradas las flores [track 15] opens with a dreamy solo on the harp after which Carles Magraner introduces the melody. More and more instruments join in before Iman Kandoussi takes over the melody and, while singing, glorifies the perfect face of the poet's beloved.
The final part ends in a minor key. The bitter loss of a beloved is central to V. La conformidad, los celos, el olvido y la muerete ("Conformity, jealousy, oblivion and death"). The link between love and death is one of the subjects addressed in this part. As in Si muero de amor [track 19]. This work opens with a powerful ad libitum by vocalist Iman Kandoussi. Her improvisation accompanied by a rhythmic ostinato has an almost trance-like effect. Then she continues powerfully and sentimentally with the desperate words: "If I die of love, I die as a martyr. If you choose me, I will live happily."
This cd is a wonderful (re)discovery of Izams El collar de la paloma. The music is a combination of mawwāl (a vocal improvisation in Arabic, traditional singing style on a poem) and its instrumental adaptations of transmitted music. These two different musical origins are shaped in this program so that they almost form a continuous narrative. The perfect execution of this concept testifies to the knowledge and experience of Capella de Ministrers with this repertoire. I know of no other performers who can deliver this concept or repertoire at this level of performance. Truly a unique listening experience.
5/5
- WHO: Capella de Ministrers conducted by Carles Magraner
- WHAT: El Collar de la Paloma
- LABEL: CdM CDM2253
- ORDER: JPC