Café
European and Ottoman court music from the 18th century
The Ottoman policy of expansion kept the Europeans for more than 200 years in suspense. On the beginning of the 18th century, the fascination for exotic cultures displaced the fear of the Turks. Ambassadors of the Sublime Port and their presents caused common ardour for Turkish art and lifestyle on European courts. The tulip became a fixed part in western gardens and the ladies preferred to be dressed in harem pants and Ottoman robes. The festivities of the Saxonian King August in his Turkish Pavillon at the Dresden court were legendary.
Some European sovereigns owned an authentic Ottoman army band, a present of the Sultan. The sound of the mehterhâne inspired composers as well as exotic rituals like the Mevlevi dervish’s ceremonies. Another treasured Turkish gift was the coffee. The coffee was one step ahead the international politics because it has joined harmonically Orient and Occident. To go for a coffee means to spend a good time together. A Turkish proverb says, one cup of coffee causes 40 years friendship.
The programme Café brings you to the places where the coffee was served in the baroque period- Serail, Salon, Boudoir and Pavillon as well as in the state rooms. The music is a gorgeous journey through the baroque Europe and the Ottoman Empire.
Works by Lully, Vivaldi, Fux, Heinichen, Telemann, Dede Efendi, Zaharya, Sultan Selim Han III., Tanburi Mustafa Çavuş and others.
Mehmet C. Yesilçay: musical director, Ud, Percussion,
Mechthild Karkow: Violin
Michele Party: Violin
Sandra Sinsch: Oboe
Ihsan Özer: Kanun, Santur
Hasan Esen: Viola D'amore, Kemençe
Volkan Yılmaz, Ney
David Kuckhermann, Percussion
Matthew Cellan Jones, Theorbe, Guitar
Franziska
Grunze, Baroquecello and Viola da Gamba
Sabine Erdmann: Cembalo
Ezgi Köker, Voice
Valer Barna-Sabadus, Countertenor