The Society of Cretan Historical Studies is participating in the “Crete, One History, 5+1 Civilisations” Festival organised by Heraklion Municipality and the Region of Crete. This year's festival commemorates the 350th anniversary of the surrender of the city of Candia to the Ottoman Turks.

As part of the “Crete, One History, 5+1 Civilisations” Festival, the Ensemble La Dafne will take us on a journey through that period with the concert Candia 1669, held on Wednesday 4 September 2019 at 21:00, in the Garden of the Historical Museum of Crete. The historical fact of the Cretan War gives the Ensemble La Dafne a starting point for a series of reflections from which this project originates.

The first is that the memory of a tragedy like this, as we approach the 350th anniversary of the end of the conflict, comes to us in a period of yet another clash between Christians and Muslims. The second is the realisation of the interactions that were created among cultures. Venetian music clearly also circulated in the overseas territories, and so was influenced by the cultures and the musical styles of the peoples who, living under the Venetian government, shared customs and traditions in an environment of reciprocity.

All this serves as a focus around which to build an imaginary musical fresco, a journey through the sounds of traditional Turkish and Greek music along with that of the Venetian school of the mid-17th century. A kind of an ideal reconciliation of cultures and arts arises, where prominent figures of Western music such as Francesco Cavalli (1602-1676) and Biagio Marini (1594-1673) take their place alongside anonymous figures of Greek and Ottoman culture from whom we only have the melodies, in some cases transmitted orally or coming down to us through transcripts such as those of the Moldovan Dimitrie Cantemir (1673-1723).

The Ensemble La Dafne was created to group the solo and chamber experiences of some musicians active on the Italian and European concert scene. The aim of the group is the study, research and execution of the instrumental and vocal repertoire of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries from the musical traditions of the Mediterranean basin. In the Garden of the Historical Museum we will enjoy listening to virtuosos Monika Toth (Baroque violin), Maria Cristina Vasi (Baroque violin), Rosita Ippolito (Viola da gamba) and Valeria Montanari (Harspichord). The musicians work with some of the most famous groups specialising in the Baroque repertoire. Alongside the musical execution, the group is involved in careful research of the historical and cultural context to which the proposed composers belong, also availing themselves of the precious collaboration of historians and musicologists, and emphasising realistic musical practice.

As at all the events of the “Crete, One History, 5+1 Civilisations” Festival entrance is free.

Program

SALOMONE ROSSI (1570 - 1630c.) - Sonata sopra l’aria di Tordiglione

Sinfonia prima

Sonata sopra l’aria di Ruggiero

Il terzo libro de varie sonate, sinfonie, gagliarde, brandi e corrente. Op.2 Venezia 1623

MARTINO PESENTI (1600c. - 1648c.) - Corrente detta l’Ingannatrice

Il secondo libro delle correnti alla francese. Venezia 1630

GIOVANNI ANTONIO PANDOLFI MEALLI (1630-1669) - SONATA SECONDA 0P. 3
"LA CESTA"

FRANCESCO CAVALLI (1602 - 1676) - Canzon a 3

Musiche sacre concernenti Messa, e Salmi concertati. Venezia 1656

SALOMONE ROSSI (1570 - 1630c.) - Sonata in dialogo detta “La Viena”

Il terzo libro de varie sonate, sinfonie, gagliarde, brandi e corrente. Op.2 Venezia 1623

BIAGIO MARINI (1594 - 1663) - Sonata sopra “La Monica”

Sonate, symphonie, canzoni, passemezzi, corenti , gagliarde e retornelli.
Op.8 Venetia, 1629

SALOMONE ROSSI - Gagliarda detta La Turca

Sonata undecima detta La Scatola

Il quarto libro de varie sonate, gagliarde, brandi e corrente. Venezia 1642