Sephardic music is much more than a repertoire of ancient songs: it is the living echo of the history of the Jews who inhabited the Iberian Peninsula and, after their expulsion in 1492, carried their language, customs, and melodies to new destinations in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Its richness lies in the fusion of traditions, oral transmission, and the capacity for adaptation over the centuries.

Roots and evolution

The term "Sephardic" comes from Sefarad, the Hebrew name for the Iberian Peninsula. The Sephardic Jews, established in Castile, Aragon, and Andalusia, adapted popular Castilian songs, merging elements of Arab and Christian music: the rhythm and instruments were of Arab origin, while the predominant language was Castilian. After the expulsion, the Sephardim mainly settled in the Ottoman Empire, Morocco, Greece, and the Balkans, where their music absorbed local influences, further enriching their repertoire.

Themes and genres

The Sephardic songbook covers a wide variety of genres and themes:

• Romances: sung narratives of medieval origin, often transmitted by women and adapted to new cultural contexts.
• Canticas or coplas: songs with themes of love, festivity, or religion.
• Lullabies and wedding songs: accompanying the vital and festive cycles of the community.
• Laments (Endechas): laments for moments of mourning.

Orality has been the main channel of transmission, allowing the songs to evolve, incorporating melodies and words from the native languages of each place of settlement.

Instruments and sonority

Sephardic instrumentation reflects the diversity of its exile routes. Among the most commonly used instruments are:

• Lute and oud: plucked string instruments, forerunners of the guitar.
• Psaltery and qanun: strings stretched over a resonant box, played with fingers or sticks.
• Derbake (darbuka), bendir, and tambourine: percussion instruments of Arab and North African origin.
• Hand cymbals and castanets: small metallic plates.
• Kinnor: Hebrew lyre with plucked strings.
• Nay: reed flute, typical of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Sephardic music, therefore, varies in its sonority depending on the region: in North Africa, simpler melodies and clear rhythms are appreciated, while in the Eastern tradition, melismas and musical modes characteristic of the area abound.

A living and constantly renewed folklore

Far from being a relic of the past, Sephardic music remains alive and in constant transformation. Today, numerous groups and artists reinterpret the traditional repertoire, incorporating modern influences and new technologies, such as electro-Sephardic music. This resurgence has allowed Judeo-Spanish culture to maintain its vitality, connecting new generations with their heritage and projecting its legacy into the future.

“Sephardic folklore is a living folklore, which has been transformed over the centuries, enriched by the influence of the cultures where it develops, maintaining for these five centuries the language with which it left Sefarad.”

Sephardic music is, ultimately, a sound testimony of coexistence, resilience, and creativity. Listening to it is to travel along the shores of the Mediterranean, to discover the memory of Sefarad, and to celebrate the richness of a shared heritage that continues to move and surprise those who discover it today.

Radio Sefarad: the contemporary voice of the Sephardic world

If you are interested in learning more about Sephardic culture, history, and music, we recommend exploring Radio Sefarad, a communication project of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain. Radio Sefarad, non-profit and sponsored by public institutions and private donors, is dedicated to disseminating the ethical, cultural, and scientific values of Judaism, with special attention to Sephardic culture and its current development.

Since its founding in 2004, Radio Sefarad has accumulated more than 15,000 hours of programs on religion, politics, current affairs, music, literature, and cinema, available in podcast format and on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube Studio. In addition, it features specialized spaces on Sephardic music and collaborations such as the program “Savoring Sefarad”, dedicated to Jewish gastronomy.

Radio Sefarad is an essential reference for those who wish to delve into the richness and diversity of the Sephardic legacy. You can listen to its programs and discover more resources on its official website.