Hespèrion XXI

In 1974 Jordi Savall and Montserrat Figueras, together with Lorenzo Alpert and Hopkinson Smith, founded the early music ensemble Hespèrion XX in Basel. Their aim was to explore, preserve and enrich the diverse and fascinating pre-19th-century repertoire under new conditions, with historically-informed performances using original instruments. The name Hespèrion means ‘from Hesperia’; in Ancient Greek ‘Hesperia’ is the name given to the two western peninsulas of Europe: Italy and Iberia. The planet Venus was also called Hesperos, when it appeared in the West as the Evening Star.

From its inception, the ensemble followed a clear and innovative artistic course, which led to the emergence of a worldwide movement re-examining early music. The ensemble perceived its early-music reper-toire as a tool for musical experiments, and sought to achieve the maximum beauty and expressiveness in its performances. It has followed the same path in the 21st century, and has accordingly called itself Hespèrion XXI since the turn of the millennium.

The work of Hespèrion XXI is central to the understanding of how music developed from the Middle Ages to the Baroque era. The ensemble’s recovery and preservation of repertoire, scores, instruments and unpublished documents has been of inestimable value. Its meticulous research – regularly enriched by new data and interpretative material – has led to greater understanding of the historical context of compositions. At the same time, its exquisite performances enable audiences to freely enjoy the aesthetic delicacy and inherent spirituality of this music. Hespèrion XXI has made numerous long-forgotten pieces accessible to the public, and thus cast a new light on music of the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the Baroque.

The repertory of the ensemble includes works from the Sephardic tradition, Castilian romances, and music from the Spanish Golden Age (1550–1680) and from many other European nations. Hespèrion XXI has made more than sixty albums, gives concerts worldwide and is a guest at the great international festivals of early music. The ensemble made its Salzburg Festival debut in 1998 with Monteverdi’s Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi.

The ensemble’s most successful programmes include the Cantigas de Santa María attributed to Alfonso X, and the compilation Diáspora Sefardí, as well as programmes featuring music from Jerusalem, Istanbul and Armenia, and Creole folías. Thanks to the exceptional achievements of the musicians and the staff who have supported the ensemble since its founding, Hespèrion XXI continues to play a significant role in the preservation and re-interpretation of musical traditions.
Supported by the Department of Culture of the Generalitat de Catalunya, and by the Institut Ramon Llull. Co-financed by the European Union.