Jordi Savall - Violist

Discovering Jordi Savall
Biographical markers -1941: Born in Igualada (Barcelona) on August 1st -1948-55: Sings in a boys'choir -1957-64: Musical studies - Cello- Barcelona consevatory -1963-64: Meets Pau Casals - Prades Festival -1965-66: First researches and studies about the viola de gamba - Barcelona, Paris, London, Brussels -1966-67: First concerts and recordings - Barcelona, Grenada -1967 : Gets married with Montserrat Figueras - First researches on Spanish music -1968-70: Studies in Basle (Switzerland) with August Wenzinger at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis -1969: First concerts and recordings as a solo artist -1970: First concerts with Ton Koopman -1970-74: Collaboration with Michel Piguet (Ensemble Ricercare), Trevor Pinock (English Concert), Gustav Leonhardt (La Petite Bande, William Christie (5 Centuries Ensemble) -1973: First original viol -1973: Successor to August Wenzinger as professor at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis -1974: First concerts with M. Figueras, H. Smith, L. Alpert ("Encore Sine Nomine" ensemble)
Savall about himself "I was fifteen years old when I started playing the cello - previously I had been in a boy's choir - and for eight years I practised that instrument seven or eight hours a day. But without those years spent practicing the cello, I wouldn't have understood the viola as I did later". (Classica, no. 1, May 1998) "When I decided to become a musician, I was told that I was crazy; the same thing happened when I chose the viola: evryone was telling me that I wouldn't make a living out of it. What guided me most, aside from an absolute certitude of what one ought to do, was my conviction that I had to follow a path and that many traps would have to be avoided". (Idem) "My own approach towards mastering the viola and the discovery of its repertoire is through the very music composed for that instrument". "For over 10 years, I played every day a Book by Marin Marais, performing that music in a very simple fashion, thinking about it and reading texts from that period. Very gradually, everything became clearer. One day, I knew I was in the right direction". (Idem) (Translation by Classic @ la carte)
The universe of the viol
Les origines (1100-1400) La lira d'Espéria - La vièle médiévale - The Medieval fiddle
A thematic approach
	Les voix humaines Abel, Bach, Marais, Sainte-Colombe	Ostinato (Falconiero, Marini, Merula, Ortiz, Pachelbel, Purcell, Rossi, Valente)
The French repertoire
Couperin, François Pièces de viole, 1728	De Machy, Monsieur Pièces de violle de Mr. de Machy (1685)	Du Caurroy, Eustache 23 fantaisies à 2, 3, 5 et 6 parties	Forqueray, Antoine Pièces pour viole Tome 1 (Suites nos. 1 et 2 )


Marais, Marin Pièces à deux violes du 1er livre	Marais, Marin Pièces de viole du 2e livre	Marais, Marin Pièces de viole du 3e livre (1711)	Marais, Marin Pièces de viole du 4e livre (1717)


Marais, Marin Pièces de viole du 5e livre (1725)	Marais, Marin Suites en mi et en si mineur, Livre II		Sainte Colombe, le fils Six Suites pour basse de viole seule


		Concerts à deux violes égales (Tome 1)	Sainte Colombe, Monsieur Concerts à deux violes égales (Tome 2)

The English repertoire
Coprario, Giovanni Musique de chambre et concertante (Consort Musicke)	Dowland, John Lacrimae or Seven Teares (1604)	Elizabethan Consort Music, Vol.I (1558-1603)	Holborne, Anthony The teares of the Muses, Elizabethan Consort Music, vol. II


Ferrabosco, Alfonso - II Consort Music for viols in 4, 5 & 6 Parts	Hume, Tobias (Captain) Musicall Humors (1605)	Hume,Tobias (Captain) Musicall Humors (1605)	Jenkins, John Consort Music for Viols


Lawes, William Consort Sets in Five & Six parts	Locke, Matthew Consort of Fower Parts, Suites I à VI	Lessons for the Lyra-Violl Ferrabosco, Corkine , Anon.	Purcell, Henry Fantasias for the Viols


Tye, Christopher Lawdes Deo, Complete Consort Musicke set for viols	L'esprit de la viole English Consort and Solo Viol Music, 1570-1680
The German repertoire
Bach, Johan Sebastian Die Sonaten für Viola da gamba und Cembalo	Brade, William Musique civile de la ville de Hambourg vers 1600: recueils de 1609 et 1614
Cliquez l'un ou l'autre thème ci-dessous pour continuer en français. Jordi Savall en 5 thèmes: 1) Savall - le violiste 2) Savall - le chef 3) Savall - l'entrepreneur 4) Savall - l'humaniste 5) Savall - pédagogue et chef de file		Click either theme below to continue with the English version. Jordi Savall under 5 themes: 1) Savall - as violist 2) Savall - as conductor 3) Savall - as entrepreneur 4) Savall - as a humanist 5) Savall - as a pedagogue and figrurehead