Sephardic instrumental music

[Joel Bresler <jbresler...>]

Chevra,

We're having a discussion over in the early music list that may interest 
some folks, and I could use some assistance as well. My understanding is 
that Sephardic musicians are widely believed to have been present at the 
court of Alfonso X, el Sabio and other Catholic monarchs. I suppose they 
would have played all manner of instruments and some believe they 
contributed melodies as well, in a court/Christian setting. But I have no 
evidence that these instruments were used to accompany ANY flavor of 
Sephardic music.

Later on, there is also no doubt that Sephardim participated fully in the 
world of Ottoman court music. But again, it was of Turkish music, not 
Sephardic music.

A correspondent replied:

>Hm ... is there evidence that Sephardic folk (or other non-liturgical) music
>avoided instruments, as you've said was the case with the liturgical 
>music?  I'm
>not sure I understand the argument that musicians who both played and composed
>for instruments in their professional sphere would have studiously avoided 
>ever
>using those instruments at home or in their home communities (though their use
>in a religious setting is another matter of course).  Is it just that 
>there's no
>evidence of whether (or how) they used them, if they did?  It's a very
>speculative suggestion, of course (and I don't even know what body of music
>survives from the times we're talking about) but some speculation might be
>reasonable.

Can anyone help out?

Best,

Joel


Joel Bresler
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