Dialogos

Dialogos: Francis of Assisi Meets Malik al-Kamil is a cross-cultural musical project created by Holland Baroque and the Montreal-based ensemble Constantinople, inspired by a historic encounter between Francis of Assisi and the Egyptian sultan Malik al-Kamil during the Fifth Crusade in 1219. This meeting, remembered as a rare moment of dialogue between opposing religious worlds, serves as the conceptual foundation for the album’s music.

The program reflects the spirit of this historical dialogue by bringing together musical traditions from Western Baroque, Persian, and Ottoman cultures. The repertoire consists largely of newly composed works and orchestrations that draw inspiration from early sources such as the 13th-century Laudario di Cortona, a collection of Franciscan devotional songs, and the music of Ali Ufki (Wojciech Bobowski), a 17th-century musician who bridged European and Ottoman musical traditions.

Composers and arrangers including Kiya Tabassian, Didem Başar, Judith Steenbrink, and Tineke Steenbrink weave together these historical influences with contemporary compositional voices. Their music creates a sonic meeting place where diverse traditions remain distinct yet resonate with one another. Melodies inspired by medieval hymnody, Persian poetry, and Ottoman court music unfold alongside improvisatory elements and richly colored instrumental textures.

The collaboration between Holland Baroque and Constantinople mirrors the historic dialogue that inspired the album. Just as Francis and Malik al-Kamil approached each other with curiosity and mutual respect, the musicians blend their artistic identities to create a shared musical language. Ancient texts, poetry, and devotional material appear in several languages—including Latin, Italian, English, French, and Persian—emphasizing the global and intercultural nature of the project.

Recorded at the Pieterskerk in Utrecht in October 2025, Dialogos becomes more than a historical reflection: it is a contemporary musical conversation about coexistence, understanding, and the enduring human impulse toward dialogue across cultures.

Holland Baroque
Constantinople – ensemble