GUEST ARTISTS:
Kudsi Erguner: ney, artistic direction,
Derya Türkan: kemençe,
Bora Uymaz: vocals,
Murat Aydemir: Ottoman tanbur,
Burcu Karadag: ney,
Necati Çelik: oud,
Celaleddin Çelik: Ottoman tanbur,
Burak Savas: vocals, violin,
Damla Aydin: cello,
“L’univers du Lâmekân Ensemble s’inspire de poèmes mystiques du XVIIIe siècle, où l’amour gravit les différents degrés ou “makam” (qui désigne également le langage modal propre à la musique classique ottomane) pour atteindre l’au-delà de tout lieu ou “Lâmekân”. Car c’est bien cette ascension qui mène, in fine, l’ensemble fondé en 2011 par le jeune musicologue belge Tristan Driessens, et rassemblant des musiciens de premier plan – chant, ney, violon, kanun, percussions -, en provenance de toute l’Europe, Turquie comprise. Très étudié sur le plan musicologique, l’itinéraire n’en propose pas moins une fête de l’esprit et des sens, où sont parcourus, parfois en zig zag, 5 siècles de créations riches et variées.”
La Libre Belgique
Lâmekân Ensemble is an internationally renowned classical Ottoman music sextet founded in 2011 and directed by Tristan Driessens. Their first album Gülzar-ı Vefâ – Music of the Ottoman Court was released in Istanbul and retained the attention of both Eastern and Western audiences. The ensemble has since been playing concerts at major venues and festivals: BOZAR (Brussels), Concertgebouw (Bruges), International Mugham Festival (Baku, Azerbaijan), Mogham Forum (Shahrizabs, Uzbekistan), Albert Long Hall (Istanbul) and Philharmonie de Liège. They regularly collaborate with some of the most prominent exponents of classical Ottoman music, most notably Kudsi Erguner, Derya Türkan, Bora Uymaz, Necati Çelik, Murat Aydemir and Burcu Karadag. With a six piece core of musicians from both Turkey and Europe, Lâmekân Ensemble significantly contributes to the rediscovery of the Ottoman musical heritage spanning from the 15th until the 20th Century.
In 2017, they released their second and third albums The Book of Lovers and Seyir Trio for Belgian record companies Cypres Records and Seyir Muzik.
“Without place”, this name, given to an ensemble formed by musicians coming from diverse horizons, is very significant. The Lâmekân Ensemble not only gives us the chance to enjoy a splendid interpretation of classical Ottoman music, but also provides a unique example of the universality of classical music.”
Kudsi Erguner
