Ensemble Sarband: Sheherazade in Europe

Sultan Abdülaziz, one of the last Ottoman rulers, composed beautiful music reminiscent of the European style. At the same time in Paris, composers such as Franz Liszt, Maurice Ravel and Ernest Chausson found inspiration in Oriental music. In this concert by Sarband these two worlds are brought together. It is an exquisite programme with both Eastern and Western music from over a century ago, of course including Ravel’s compelling Sheherazade. Sarband is the brainchild of the Bulgarian Vladimir Ivanoff.

The ensemble unites musicians from Bulgaria, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Sweden, China, Great Britain, Japan, Italy and Germany. In his performance of Passion pieces Ivanoff juxtaposes the suffering of Jesus with conflicts in the Middle East. Additionally Sarband plays music from an era when Ottoman rulers requested music with a Western sound from their court composers. Cross-overs have always happened. You will hear soprano vocals, piano, ney (Turkish flute) and the kanun (zither), but also cello and kemençe, the Eastern version of the violin.