Bridging cultures & time: Savall’s Baroque journey with CSO Latino Alliance

On Tuesday, Oct. 8, Spanish-born conductor-composer-instrumentalist Jordi Savall delivered a captivating performance titled “A Baroque Revolution” — a true delight to the ears. Sung primarily in Italian and featuring members of Savall’s ensembles Hespèrion XXI and La Capella Reial de Catalunya, the concert showcased masterpieces by Monteverdi, Dowland, Holborne and Scheidt, immersing the audience in the rich, expressive world of Baroque music, one of my favorite musical periods.

A standout moment came during the encore, featuring two vibrant 18th-century South American pieces sung in Spanish and Quechua (an indigenous language native to Peru). This unexpected addition brought a refreshing and culturally rich conclusion to the evening, bringing historical depth to global musical traditions.

Savall is best known for his pivotal role in reviving early music, particularly compositions for the viola da gamba and forgotten repertoires from Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas. His lifelong work involves not just performing these ancient pieces but also researching, transcribing and reviving them in concerts worldwide. Through his performances, Savall educates audiences about the global history of music, offering insights into what people listened to centuries ago.

What I hadn’t realized was that Savall is quite the impresario. He has been described as a musical time traveler, globe-trotting impresario, enterprising scholar and charismatic virtuoso. His achievements are numerous and remarkable:

•He founded three influential music ensembles: Hespèrion XXI, La Capella Reial de Catalunya and Le Concert des Nations.

•He contributed to the acclaimed film “Tous les Matins du Monde” (1991) and created the Alia Vox record label, which helped introduce early music to new and younger audiences.

•He rediscovered and conducted forgotten operas like Una cosa rara and Il burbero di buon cuore, along with major works by Monteverdi and Vivaldi.

•Savall performs more than 140 concerts annually and records about six albums per year. His work has earned him prestigious awards, including Denmark’s Léonie Sonning Music Prize, France’s Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters, and France’s Légion d’Honneur.

•He has been honored with multiple honorary doctorates and lifetime achievement awards for his dedication to preserving cultural heritage.

•His extensive discography, which includes more than 100 recordings, has received numerous accolades such as Grammy Awards, MIDEM Classical Awards and International Classical Music Awards. His live performances are equally celebrated, with notable honors such as the Helpmann Awards in Australia for best chamber or instrumental ensemble concert.

The performance was presented as part of the CSO Latino Alliance concert series, which gives Alliance members a unique opportunity to share, learn and enjoy music across cultures. In this case, it featured pieces from the Americas performed in Spanish and Quechua, as well as Italian. Savall’s work beautifully exemplifies the merging of history, education and music, creating experiences that resonate across time and transcend borders.

Learn more about Jordi Savall at his website