Echoes of Qiyan - Sephardic & Medieval music, 2 CDs

Echoes of Qiyan, 2 CDs
A Nordic excursion into the world of Al-Andalusian, Medieval and Sephardic music
performed by Qiyans krets & Oscar Fredrik Chamber Choir
Eld Records ER23, CD released 2010

CD1: Sephardic songs
CD2: Medieval music

Instruments: vocals, percussion, harp, lever harp, kaval, nay, recorder, 3-hole pipes, flutes

About the instruments

About qiyan
Qiyan were highly educated slave-women of varying ethnic backgrounds who entertained at the muslim courts in former times. These women were highly prized poets, singers, instrumentalists and dancers, and were responsible for performing and spreading the works of the composers of the period.

As the Christian warlords conquered more and more of the muslim territories in Spain, i.e. al-Andalus/ Sepharad, qiyan were captured and taken back to the courts of Europe as booty.

"The first troubadour", William of Aquitaine (969-1030), grew up among qiyan and was surely influenced by them. The troubadour movement which started in Provence contributed to spreading their influence to the rest of Europe, as these travelling musicians moved from court to court.

Tracklist:
CD1 - Sephardic songs
01. Kol dodi (trad.)
02. Los caminos de Sirkedji (by Thomas Winner)
03. Etz harimon (by Yedidya Admon)
04. Kuando veyo ijo ermozo (trad.)
05. Och när som jag var på mitt artonde år & Una mática de ruda (trad.)
06. Mi yitneni of (trad.)
07. Tubwayhun L'miskenene'h B'ruch (Hebrew motives, Al-Andalus trad.)
08. Eshet chayil (trad. Hebrew song)
09. Adió, querida (trad. Sephardic, derived from a Verdi-aria)
10. Yedí Kulé (trad.)
11. Alta es la luna (trad.)
12. Ben n'har prat (trad. Sephardic-Hebrew)
13. Avram Avinu (trad.)

CD2 - Medieval music
01. Dja da kall (14th Century, Al-Andalus)
02. Quinte estampie royale (13th Century France)
03. Hemingen og Gygri (Norwegian medieval ballad)
04. Margjit Hjukse (Norwegian medieval ballad) & Margjitpolska
05. Las tres hermanicas (trad. Sephardic romance)
06. Non perch'i' speri, donna (early 14th Century)
07. Adiril (Iraqi solo song)
08. Lamma Bada Yatathanna (12th Century Arab-Andalusian)
09. Chominciamento di gioia (14th Century Italian estampie)