David Dalle
Thursday April 4th, 2019 with David Dalle
The fourth of twelve exceptional concert recordings for 2019: Master of Arab-Andalousian Ma'luf, Cheikh Raymond Leyris, in a 1954 concert.

For 2019, I have chosen 12 exceptional concert recordings to program with one each month. I have set a couple of simple rules: the recordings will be played in their entirety and represent a single concert (e.g. a "live" album compiled from different concerts would not qualify) and they must feature multiple pieces (e.g. a stunning live recording of a Mahler symphony would not qualify). These 12 recordings feature some of my favourite artists, and in many of the cases, also represent the very best from these artists. For April, we will hear the oldest of the planned concerts, a 1954 concert by Cheikh Raymond Leyris and his orchestra in his hometown of Constantine, Algeria. Cheikh Raymond Leyris was an Algerian Jew and native of Constantine born in 1912 and died in 1961. His life and death represented two extremes in 20th century Algeria: his life the unity and synthesis of Sephardic jews and Maghreb Arabs as one of the most acclaimed and respected master of the Constantine Arab-Andalusian music known as Ma'luf; and his death marking the divisions and violence of the violent decolonization process and war for independence as he was gunned down in the street of his beloved Constantine in 1961. His assassination sparked the large-scale emigration of Algerian Jews. In this concert, he performs an Andalusian suite followed by several songs. The 40 minute suite begins with an instrumental introduction followed by instrumental improvised solos beginning with Cheikh Raymond on Oud and followed by Sylvain Ghrenassia on viola, Gaston Ghrenassia on guitar, Abdelhmid Benkartoussa on flute. Classical and popular music follow however with classical poetry as the chosen text alternating between Cheikh Raymond reciting solo and with full choruses and instrumental interludes. A recording of a beautiful performance full of melancholy and longing captured one night a long time ago...