Memoria Sefardi MUSIQUE D'ESPANGNE JUIVE ET CHRÉTIENNE ENSEMBLE CONSTANTINOPLE Kiya Tabassian, sétar / setar Guy Ross, vihuela, oud / 'ud, harpe médiévale / medieval harp Isabelle Marchand, viole de gambe / viola da gamba, viéle / fiddle Matthew Jennejohn, flûtes à bec / recorders, cornetto Ziya Tabassian, tombak, dayereh, def ACD2 2274 The Constantinople ensemble has been in existence for five years.   Its name comes from the legendary city of Constantinople, which for centuries was the point of confluence and exchange between the cultures of East and West.   This musical ensemble, of variable format, thus thrives on two geographically distant cultural and musical worlds, those of Iran and of Europe.   These two cultures, although far apart today, were at certain times continually exchanging in areas such as the sciences, the arts, and philosophy, in some instances yielding fruitful results. Constantinople seeks to rekindle this spirit by delving into the musical heritage of the Medieval and Renaissance periods.   The ensemble especially endeavours to recreate a rich and living utterance, based on creativity and on the knowledge of classical Persian art music and the early music of Europe.   This means creating a musical language that gives free reign to improvisation and fancy while upholding and respecting the basic forms of those musical eras. The ensemble's instrumentation is rather unique: The use of the setaras a solo instrument opens a new vista in the performance of Medieval and Renaissance music. MEMORIA SEFARDI [  1. ] Ya soi desposado / Oy comamos y bebamos -       6:23         Cancionero Musical de Palacio (CMP) [  2. ] El rey que muncha madruga - Smyrne       3:25 [  3. ] Abenamar - Maroc / La rosa enflorence - Espagne       7:28 [  4. ] Hija mia mi querida - Rhodes       3:45 [  5. ] La cantiga de la Ley - Rhodes       1:53 [  6. ] Puncha puncha - Alexandrie / Istanbul       4:23 [  7. ] Aman minoush - Istanbul       6:03 [  8. ] El rey de francia - Smyrne       4:29 [  9. ] Avrid migalanica - Cassaba       3:47 [10. ] El regateode las - Rhodes       4:04 [11. ] La vida es un passahe - Maroc       5:37 [12. ] Las compras del Rabiner - Maroc       1:54 [13. ] Si abra - CMP       4:24 [14. ] El cervel mi fa Nocte idie - CMP       3:08 [15. ] Jançu Janto - CMP       3:23 ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879