Folktales and Storied Traditions

Explore oral histories, heroic sagas, folk tales, and epic romances across the West African, Arabic, and European musical traditions. In this program, Folger Consort traces the narrative and musical connections between West African djali or griots, preservers of oral histories shared through song; Arabic hakawatis, revered storytellers of heroic sagas and folk tales; and medieval Provençal and French singer-poets. Together, these three musical traditions honor the role of music and storytelling in preserving culture and history, while offering distinct takes from their own cultural perspectives.