Early Music Now marks the start of its 25th season with one of the stars of the early music movement, viola da gamba player Jordi Savall, accompanied by his son, Ferran. Born in the Catalonian region of Spain, Jordi trained at the Barcelona Conservatory of Music and from early on focused on the music of medieval and Renaissance Europe. His acclaim derives from his role in returning the viola da gamba from the museum to the concert stage. A prolific recording artist, Jordi has been twice nominated for a Grammy and has written music for seven films, earning a Cesar Award from the French movie industry in 1992. He has long featured his family members in concert, including his son, Ferran, who plays the theorbo (bass lute) and sings in medieval style (when he's not holding forth in Barcelona jazz clubs).
The Savalls, who have devoted much of their lives to early music, interpret their repertoire with expressive intensity, richness and humanity. This devotion will be apparent at the upcoming Early Music Now concert, “Folias & Romances,” an unusual opportunity to hear a musical dialogue between the music of East and West from the 13th through 17th centuries.
This concert will be held Saturday, Oct. 8, at UW-Milwaukee's Zelazo Center, 2419 E. Kenwood Blvd. The concert begins at 8 p.m., preceded by a 7 p.m. lecture and reception.
