Iskrena Yordanova – a distinguished musician who has dedicated her heart to Baroque music

The Bulgarian violinist travels worldwide with the Divino Sospiro ensemble, breathing new life into forgotten compositions

published on 11/6/24 10:44 AM

Author: Diana Tsankova

Photo: FB/Iskrena Yordanova

For thirty years now, Bulgarian violinist Iskrena Yordanova has been living in Lisbon. Everything she does as a musician is related to Baroque music. She has devoted much of her time to discovering ancient manuscripts, which she brings back to life with her baroque ensemble "Divino Sospiro".

Did Baroque music find the Bulgarian violinist by chance, or was it a consciously chosen path?

"We discovered each other," says Iskrena Yordanova talking to Radio Bulgaria. "I came to it relatively late because in Bulgaria music education only briefly touches upon 17th and 18th-century music, which is my focus. I became interested because it opens a world that encourages thoughtful music-making—there's an improvisational element, it involves library research and scholarly work."

She began playing the piano at the age of five, and a year later, she was captivated by the violin, which her elder sister was playing. From a young age, she found joy, and above all, responsibility, in sharing the performance of complex compositions with other musicians.

"I started playing with the Pioneer Philharmonic at the age of eight," the violinist shares. "The fact that I was accepted into this incredible 'machine', the symphony orchestra, despite my limited technical experience, and performing challenging repertoire together - this is what most inspired me to take this path. To this day, making music with others is the most enjoyable thing for me."

Yordanova describes her move to Lisbon as "purely accidental." During her final year at the music academy, she visited her sister, who had been living in the Portuguese capital for several years. She brought her violin along, as she had upcoming state exams. She learned about an audition for the State Symphony Orchestra and decided to apply, taking her first big step toward her Portuguese dream.

A few years later, together with Massimo Mazzeo - an Italian Baroque musician and her life partner - she founded the early music ensemble "Divino Sospiro." She became the concertmaster, and he became the artistic director. They chose the name inspired by the "divine sigh" that can be heard in many Baroque works related to Christianity, as well as in "the pause used in the music of affections to emphasize a high moment in the performance."

Divino Sospiro Baroque ensemble
"There was no Baroque ensemble at the time, and our idea was to create something of high quality that would represent Portugal," recalls Iskrena Yordanova. "This year, the Divino Sospiro ensemble turns 20, so it has already traveled a serious path, performing at festivals worldwide and recording important works. In 2014, we established a research center with the same name, where I serve as scientific director. It deals not only with the repertoire from a scholarly perspective but is also directly connected to its performance. In this way, we have rediscovered many works from the Portuguese and Italian Baroque."

In her scholarly career, Iskrena Yordanova has associated her name mostly with the composers Niccolò Jommelli and Maddalena Laura Sirmen.

"Niccolo Jommelli was a Neapolitan composer with an international career and today can be defined as European. He is one of the people who, together with Gluck, changed the language of music from the Baroque to the Classical style. He is also connected to the Portuguese court and here is one of the richest collections of his works. In 2014 at the São Carlos Opera House in Lisbon, I organized an exhibition dedicated to Jommelli because he was one of the most performed composers in the 18th century in Portugal. I am also dealing with Maddalena Sirmen from a practical and scientific point of view - the idea appeared a few years ago, when, together with the outstanding Baroque violinist Zefira Valova, we decided to talk about her, perform her duets and release a CD. My article dedicated to Maddalena Sirmen will be published soon."

Currently, the Bulgarian violinist and musicologist is working on a project related to Domenico Scarlatti, an important composer for the Portuguese royal court.

"This involves a recording of a serenade titled La Contesa delle Stagioni, which depicts the dispute between the seasons," explains Yordanova. "The work was written in 1720 for the birthday of the Portuguese queen."

Today, Baroque music enjoys immense interest. It is performed on original instruments from the Baroque period, through which musicians strive for the utmost authenticity in conveying the composer's intent in each work.

"Since the 1960s, people have increasingly sought out and rediscovered new repertoire," says Iskrena Yordanova. "However, we should remember that even in the 19th century, thanks to Mendelssohn, we are now familiar with the works of Johann Sebastian Bach today, so this phenomenon isn't something new. Performing with historical instruments is crucial because it allows us to rediscover an era far removed from us in mentality and lifestyle, yet it helps us understand the mechanisms of history and aesthetic tastes - what humanity has created to move forward."

For Iskrena Yordanova, Baroque music has become her destiny - not only has it made her a top-tier musician and researcher, but it has also, on a personal level, allowed her to create a symbiosis of Bulgarian and Italian temperaments. Though she and Massimo occasionally argue, they are united by a common direction: "The truth is that when we have a clear goal and want to achieve it, things work out."

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