Nour Ensemble

Alba
The chant of Light: Ancient European and Persian Music

The Nour ensemble is trying to discover and recreate a musical aura shared by the East and the West, a common language that perhaps once existed in the history of music. Nour’s repertoire springs from sources in both traditions, Persian and European: “Conductus” from the 13th century and melodies in “Nava” modality … Gregorian plainsong psalmody mixed with psalmody of talse from the Uraman region of Kurdistan … counter point created with melodies from Koran and Bible texts sung together in their own style … Competition between Kurdish and Spanish choirs singing “cantigas” of Alfonso X el Sabio. The musicians and singers play with the different colours and styles as well as with the similarities of each musical tradition. Nour’s music is a melting pot where these ancient traditions and the creation of a contemporary repertoire interpreted by artists of the 21st century meet.

Christophe Rezai (tenor, Indian Harmonium, direction)
Mostafa Mahmoudi (Persian and Kurdish chant)
Pierre-Yves Binard (baritone, percussion)
Pierre Baranger (tenor, traverso)
Hamid Khosroshahi (bass)
Ali Boustan (oud, shouranguiz, voice)
Reza Asgarzadeh (duduk, recorder, voice)
Jasmin Martorell (vocal advisor)