Nélida. Nassar 16 April 2025

The magic of a musical evening often lies in the encounter between a venue, a repertoire, and one (or more) performer(s). It was this magic that defined the closing concert of the Boston Early Music Festival 2024-2025 season Sunday, April 13. The venue: Jordan Hall with its unique architecture in the heart of Boston with excellent acoustics, where all seats on both the main floor and horseshoe-shaped balcony have unobstructed views of the stage. The program: Entitled Music of Fire and Love: Folías, Battles, and Lamenti; Glosado, Variations and Improvisations where Maestro Jordi Savall with his legendary ensemble Hespèrion XXI, reunite a group of exceptional musicians, each a specialist in historical instruments bringing centuries-old compositions to life. A program standing out for its combination of rigorous research and high-quality musical interpretation, offered the audience a sonic journey through European and South American music of that period notwithstanding great wit. The performers: Joining Savall were Xavier Díaz-Latorre (Italian Baroque triple harp and Spanish Baroque harp), Andrew Lawrence-King (arpa doppia), Philippe Pierlot (treble and bass viols), Xavier Puertas (violone), and David Mayoral (percussion), with Savall himself as the director and performing on the treble viols. The musicians’ beautifully blended sound was obvious from the very first notes, and their pleasure in playing together – relishing the give and take of the civilized, conversational music – was tangible. This new tour across the United States is a project that is presented in a total of six concerts across the American continent. Boston was its third destination. Jordi Savall is one of the most versatile musical personalities of his generation. For more than fifty years, he has rescued musical gems from the obscurity of neglect and oblivion and given them back for all to enjoy. A conductor who draws the world together, he has been called a magical musician, a time traveler, a globe-trotting adventurer, a tireless scholar, a virtuoso performer and a visionary ensemble leader. We may not know exactly where Savall will lead us next as he mines the past for treasures that illuminate new connections between historic people and places, cultures, and movements, but we are always thrilled to come along for the ride. His loyal and enthusiastic following which turned up in force at Jordan Hall could not be satisfied until two encores had been granted, taking us even further afield, to Scotland and Peru. One thing is clear, Jordi Savall is a gift to us all.