This was a very exciting and captivating concert that in the first half looked at the 17th century European fascination with all things Turkish and in the second half we heard music from Greece and Turkey .

Under the energetic and enthusiastic direction of Paul Dyer, leading from the keyboard, the Brandenburg played exquisitely. Our narrator, Alan Maddox, looking severe in theatrical black, explained certain points , established context, explained various items and read letters from that period. He guided us on a spiritual and musical journey across Europe from West to East.

The concert began with Lully’s ‘Marche pour le ceremonie des Turcs ‘ from ‘Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme’ which, with stirring drums, had a martial feel yet was also full of delicate strings.

Marais ‘ Sonnerie de Sainte Genevieve du Mont-de-Paris’ had haunting ,repetitive strings to evoke the tolling of the bells in its many layered, luscious performance. Teleman’s ‘Overture –Suite in B flat major’Les Nations’ was bright and brisk.

For me, the standout part of the first half was the soaring, angelic ‘Miserere’ by Allegri, full of flowing and complicated rhythms. This is a ritual chant that became a must see-and-hear tourist attraction in the 18th century.

The Brandenburg choir was magnificent in a stunning performance with the audience erupting in cheers and screams at the end.

The final work of the first half was Boccherini’s Fandango from his Quintet for Guitar and Strings. This was a dialogue between flamenco passion and rhythms and the orchestra, with Yioda Wilson on castanets, dressed in a striking black and white Flamenco outfit with a long train and a red and white shawl. The piece blended castanets, rippling yet strong, sinuous and snaky flamenco arms and footwork with far more lyrical, liquid ‘Western ‘ music.

The second half of the concert began in Greece , featuring the music of the ‘oud’ ( a short necked lute) , the’ lyra’ ( a short necked bowed fiddle) ,and a ‘ saz’ ( a long necked lute ). The music was infectiously played by a delightful quintet.

There were three couples of dancers , dramatic in red and black , who performed a vibrant Hasapiko and Hasaposerviko (think ‘Zorba the Greek’ in style) including line and circle dancing and for the men showy jumps, crouches and heel-toe foot slaps and stamps. This was an exuberant piece featuring joyous rhythms, and the audience lapped it up.

Next came the mysterious ‘whirling dervishes’ from Turkey, representing the Ottoman Empire with mystical ceremonial Ottoman music accompanying the Dervishes on original instruments.

The Dervishes are a Sufi sect. (The musicians were in the small high gallery looking down at the Dervishes in the clear stage space below) .There was a definite atmosphere, a distinct sense of Sacred Space.

Every aspect of the ceremony from the colours of the garments to the way and direction the Dervishes whirl has precise symbolic meaning for the performer. The black cloak symbolises the ego or worldly attachment. The tall camel hair hats represent the tomb of the ego. The whole ceremony is directed by a sheik who sat on a red sheepskin mat symbolising both union with God and sunset.

The ceremony begins with a recitation from the Koran and a Rumi poem. A traditional song proclaiming Allah’s greatness is then sung. This is followed by a ‘ ney ‘ ( flute) improvisation during which the ‘semazen’ ( worshipers) walk in a circle three times. They then remove their outer black cloaks and begin to whirl, the ‘skirt’ of their white robes undulating like a flower. We saw four Dervishes as well as their Sheik. We heard music of the ‘ney’ ( flute) a’ kanum’ ( type of zither) ,’ ‘kudum’ ( small drums ) and ‘tambour’ (long necked lutes) .

We only saw a short portion of the trance like hypnotic Mevlevi ceremony which can go on for hours .The music is structured and framed very differently from that of Western music .At the end there was no applause ( as asked) but we didn’t really leave quietly as requested and there was lots of talk outside in the foyer.

This as a concert that makes you reflect about the connections between prayer and ritual as performance.

Performance running time 2 hours including interval.

OTTOMAN BAROQUE: BRANDENBURG AND THE WHIRLING DERVISHES plays at the City Recital Hall on various dates between the 22nd and 31st October.