Cubaroque

Songs of love, loss, religion and politics by Purcell and Monteverdi speak across oceans and centuries to their modern Latin-American counterparts by the likes of Silvio Rodríguez, Mercedes Sosa and Victor Jara.

All of these musicians are hugely consequential to the musical story of Latin America in the 20th century but are largely unknown in the English-speaking world. Their songs represent a politically engaged musical movement that gave voice to an entire continent at a time of rapid progress and violent change.

In putting these two apparently disparate traditions together, we sense that, while the world turns and changes, the bigger, messier human emotions remain. Tales separated by time and space but drawn together by a common and eternal desire to tell stories in music.

Programme:
Henry Purcell (1659-1695) Music for A While
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) Si Dolce E’il Tormento
Ariel Ramirez (1921-2010) Alfonsina y el Mar
Santiago de Murcia (1673-1739) Fandango (guitars)
Tomas Mendez (1927-1995) Cucurrucucu Paloma
Purcell Oh Fair Cedaria

Silvio Rodriguez (b. 1946) Oleo de Mujer con Sombrero
Rodriguez Ojala
Nico Rojas (1921-2008) Retrato de un Medico Violinista
Monteverdi Tempro la Cetra
Rafael Hernandez (1892-1965) Silencio
Rodriguez La Gaviota
Rodriguez Unicornio

Monteverdi Quel Sguardo Sdegnosetto
Robert de Visee (c1655-1733) Prelude and Sarabande in D (instrumental)
Purcell In the Black Dismal Dungeon
Rodriguez Hoy Mi Deber
Victor Jara (1932-1973) Te Recuerdo Amanda
Purcell Evening Hymn

"El amor es como un violín. La música podrá detenerse ahora o después, pero las cuerdas lo recordarán por siempre (Love is like a violin. The music can stop now or after, but the strings will remember it forever.)" - Silvio Rodríguez