After their expulsion in 1496, the “Portuguese Nation” Jews spread across Europe and the Near East, organising themselves in flourishing communities such as in Amsterdam, Antwerp and London, or mingling with local communities such as in Venice and the South of France. In several of these places they developed a rich musical heritage that combines ancient liturgical texts and Sephardic traditions with the latest musical forms and styles. In the Baroque period, music effectively became a “universal language”, uniting different religions and cultures, and building bridges for mutual understanding, still so necessary today.

Ludovice Ensemble
Miguel Jalôto Conductor
Keren Motseri Soprano
David Feldman Counter-tenor
André Lacerda Tenor
Hugo Oliveira Baritone

Music of the Jewish Communities in Baroque Europe
Works by Salomone Rossi, Carlo Grossi, Leonora Duarte, Louis Saladin, Abraão Casseres, Cristiano Giuseppe Lidarti and anonymous composers from the Amsterdam’s Portuguese Synagogue.