1219 - The Saint and the Sultan (Francis of Assisi) Pera Ensemble & Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay

• Marcabru (1130 - 1150):
• 1 Deus Lo Vult: Pax in Nominee Domini 04:06
• Thibaut de Champagne (1201 - 1253):
• 2 Seigneurs Saichiés 02:07
• Farabi (872 - 950):
• 3 Du Shems 02:55
• Traditional:
• 4 Danse Real 02:37
• Thibaut de Champagne:
• 5 Au Tans Plain De Felonie 03:14
• Alfonso El Sabio (1221 - 1284):
• 6 Poi las Figuras 04:49
• Ibn Arabi (1165 - 1240):
• 7 Vokal Improvisation 05:01
• Traditional:
• 8 Ave Donna Santissima 03:42
• 9 Entel Hadi Entel Hak 02:51
• 10 Sia Laudato 03:33
• 11 Talaaql Badru Aleyna 01:17
• 12 Troppo Perde l'Tempo 02:26
• 13 Hasbi Rabi Celallah 01:14
• 14 Laudar Vollio 04:13
• 15 Hicazussak 02:05
• 16 Ussak Nasheed 03:20
• 17 La Septime Estampie Real 04:15
• 18 O Divina 03:09
• Al-Busiri (1211 - 1294):
• 19 Qasida Burda 07:49
• Franz von Assisi (1182 - 1226):
• 20 Cantico Della Creature 03:51
• 21 Evrad-I Sherif 02:22
• Serkan Mesut Halili:
• 22 Qanun 03:02
• Franz von Assisi:
• 23 Lodi di Dio Altissimoa - Zikir 04:00
• Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay (b. 1959), Serkan Mesut Halili & Cem Ekmen:
• 24 Medieval Lute, Qanun, Mey 03:42
• Corina Marti:
• 25 Organetto 03:25
• Traditional:
• 26 Nat-I Sharif 04:49
• Giovannagelo de Gennario:
• 27 Traverso 02:40
• Yunus Emre (1240 - 1321):
• 28 Gel Gör Beni Aşk Neyledi 03:07
• Giovannagelo de Gennario & Enes Durceylan:
• 29 Rebap Fidel · Vihiuela 08:12
• Jacopone da Todi (1230 - 1306):
• 30 Donna de Paradiso 06:49
• Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay & Serkan Mesut Halili:
• 31 Oud, Qanun 05:10
• Serkan Mesut Halili, Volkan Yilmaz & Enes Durceylan:
• 32 Qanun, Ney, Cello, Bendir 03:36
• Traditional:
• 33 Hizb-Ul Bahr 03:18
• Serkan Mesut Halili & Giovannagelo de Gennario:
• 34 Qanun, Traverso 03:13
• Volkan Yilmaz:
• 35 Ney 04:19
• Traditional:
• 36 Surah Al-Hujurat 9/13 & Surah Al-Ahzab 33/56 02:56
• Total Runtime 02:13:14

Info for 1219 - The Saint and the Sultan (Francis of Assisi)

It is just 800 years since the most important inter-faith engagement in history, an early rapprochement between Christendom and Islam: on the fringe of the Crusades, there is a meeting between St Francis of Assisi and the Muslim Sultan Al Malik Al Kalim. The Pera Ensemble and Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay take a look at this historic encounter. It shows how music united the most varied nations and religions even then, bringing about a creative synthesis of two worlds.

The year is 1219. Appalled by the un-Christian behaviour and barbaric cruelty of the Fifth Crusade shown by men who confess his own faith, Francis of Assisi sets out for Damietta in Egypt. His aim, to seek out Sultan Al Malik Al Kalim of Istanbul in the middle of a war and convert him and his court, is foolhardy and highly dangerous. In the military camp of the North Egyptian city, however, he comes upon a deep piety and a belief in the same God to whom Francis himself prays. He is never to reach his goal, any more than the Sultan, who has assumed Francis will be able to negotiate a peace settlement. In spite of this, the weeks they share together affect them both deeply, giving them ideas and inspirations which will influence each of them, as Christian and as Muslim, in later life.

The Sultan and the Italian believer sealed a friendship so sincere that the Muslim ruler allowed Francis of Assisi to preach the gospel of Christianity in his realm. Francis discovered during his journey that the Muslims were not the “cruel beasts” depicted in Crusader propaganda. He not only took over some Islamic practices, of which the best known example is surely the rosary; he set down in the original rule of the Franciscan order he founded that the members of his community were to distinguish themselves in other cultures by a simple and conciliatory attitude and live out their Christian faith through a willingness to serve others, and should not find fault or quarrel.

“This meeting of minds shone out like a beacon and was in my view the beginning of a dialogue between the religions. The message today is more important than ever: we must talk to one another about our beliefs, peacefully and with respect!” (Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay) Christian and Muslim songs, instrumental improvisations, hymns of praise and Sufi songs from the 13th century are brought together by the Pera Ensemble, which unites internationally renowned European specialists in period performance practice with the élite of Turkish art music. The highly meditative character of this collection draws performers and listeners alike into the world of musical dialogue and gives them a sense of how the music has taught people the art of peaceful coexistence. Mehmet Cemal Yeşilçay himself is an example of the common bonds between these two cultures. Born in Istanbul and brought up in Munich, having given concerts around the world and made extensive recordings, he has made a name for himself as a leading interpreter and musicologist: “I began to study Early Music back in the Eighties. I do believe, however, that our ‘1219’ project is more specific and gains its relevance not only from the date it commemorates but in particular from its content.”

Pera Ensemble
Cemal Mehmet Yesilcay, direction

No biography found.

This album contains no booklet.