Listen to what the Normans are singing.

A show mixing the presentation of medieval instruments, lutherie, and Anglo-Norman and Sicilian music with Arab influences from the time of the Norman kings.

The Prieurales and their emblematic ensemble Quarte&graal showcase a remarkable Norman instrumentarium that has been developed over the past twelve years with the support of the City of Le Havre. This project highlights a musical heritage reconstructed from historical sources, notably sculptures and medieval iconographies related to Norman history.

Among these instruments is a reconstruction inspired by a sculpture from the Abbey of Graville, created by Giuseppe Severini, a luthier based in Randazzo, Sicily. He is also known for his work in restoring the instruments depicted in the paintings of the Palatine Chapel in Palermo, built under the reign of Roger II, heir to the Norman conquest of Sicily. This monument bears witness to the meeting of Norman, Arab, and Byzantine cultures. Its décor features numerous instruments such as the oud, rebab, qitara, santur, and zamar, which are now reinvented and performed by Giuseppe Severini and his wife Marilena.

The encounter between the Norman instruments of Quarte&graal and those from Arab-Norman Sicily gives rise to an unprecedented musical dialogue. The sounds originating from Normandy, England, and the Mediterranean respond through the voices and instruments of the artists gathered for the occasion, illustrating the richness of cultural exchanges that shaped European history in the Middle Ages.

For this exceptional program, the ensemble Quarte&graal includes:
Evelyne Moser: bowed vielles, singing
Leah Stuttard: rote, singing
Marilena Severini: grand tambourine, derbouka, singing and dancing
Giuseppe Severini: oud, rebab, santur, zamar, mezwed, vieras, singing
François Montaufray: guiterne, citole, qitara, singing

The proposal unfolds in two parts: a presentation of the instruments, their origins, their historical representations, and the manufacturing techniques that enabled their reconstruction, followed by a concert. Anglo-Norman songs, Sicilian repertoires, and works by Norman trouvères blend together to bring to life an exceptional musical heritage, at the crossroads of the influences that have marked the history of Normandy and the Mediterranean area.

Practical information:
Open to all
Duration: 1h30
Paid
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