Considered passé, the richness of traditional and medieval
music has been eclipsed by classical and contemporary music. But here’s a duo
who are concentrating their energies on reviving and sharing the beauty of this
music which they term as one that ‘arises from the soul within’. “We choose
this music because it is very soulful and looking inward as opposed to the
materialistic European society we live in,” aver Maestro Enrico Euron and Anne-Gaelle
Cuif, who will be performing medieval and Renaissance Italian Arias, as well as
French and Irish songs at their recital today.
“The traditional music is very antique, drawn from religious hymns and
the culture of the people. It was not
written or read, but just passed down from one generation to the next unlike
classical music which is very structured and written. It is not intelligent,
but intuitive and must be played with feeling. Also the instruments were
peripheral to the vocals,” explains Anne.
To do justice to this music, Anne has been researching
alongside performing. “I do a philologist research every time I do music,
because I need to understand where it has come from and play it both with my
feet on the ground and my head in the air.” explains this vocalist who studied
at the Conservatoire of Reims; studied the traditional techniques in Britain at
the Stage International de Harp Cellique of Dinan and then studied with Enrico
and several well known names.
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Considered one of the best Celtic Harp performers in Europe,
Enrico took a detour from years of classical studies and performance once he
came upon the harp and Irish traditional music. In 1995 he founded Tùatha Dé
Danann group which focused on ancient Irish music’s research and performance
with a strongly defined historical approach. Drawing deeply on the richness of
this music, Enrico studied Scottish and Italian traditional music along with
Irish and to date has played around 600 concerts in Europe.
Enrico and Anne will now bring their combined experience to
perform for the first time in India in four states. “For us it is a very beautiful experience to
share original traditional European music with Indian people who are so proud
of their own traditional music,” they share.
For the Goan audience they have a treat of medieval (extracts from
sacred music), Gregorian, love songs and dance music to the accompaniment of
the traditional bowel psaltery, Celtic harp, viola, percussions, tambourines
and cymbals. While Anne will do both
vocals and instruments, Enrico will, in his habitual style, explain the meaning
and origin of the songs as they perform them.
Their quest to make traditional/ mediaeval music ‘live
again’ is slowly making a mark as people are drawn to this music which connects
with them to their spiritual being.
(Harp and Voice Duo
Concert will be held at Krishnadas Shama Goa State Library, Panjim, today at
6pm)
