Olam Ein Sof | Medieval music made in Brazil

Olam Ein Sof is the name of the Brazilian duo that plays medieval and Renaissance music founded in 2001 by Fernanda Ferretti and Marcelo Miranda.

From the very beginning, they aimed to create their own compositions referencing to medieval and Renaissance music, especially those from Latin and Romance speaking countries. All the work of creating and developing their songs is the result of exhaustive research by the duo, in order to present a well-founded reinterpretation of ancient music.

Olam Ein Sof means, in a rough translation, “World of the Infinite”. The name was a suggestion from a friend of the band, who presented a list with several possibilities and respective translations beside them. The duo ended up opting for the name they carry today. Subsequently, they investigated its origin further and discovered that it is a kabbalistic term. The important thing for them is that the meaning of the term conveys what they see in art: something infinite and transcendent.

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The idea of giving birth to Olam Ein Sof came after Miranda presented some compositions to Ferretti, who approved them and decided that they should do something about it. They started to play the songs they composed, together with some medieval, Renaissance and contemporary songs to complete the repertoire. Their lyrics cover themes such as mythologies of different cultures and the ethereal world.

Ferretti composes the lyrics, while Miranda is responsible for the instrumental aspect. A very special fact about the relationship between these musicians is that the two are married. This fact definitely reinforces the chemistry transmitted through their albums and on the stage. Speaking of stages, the duo has played in several Brazilian states as well as in Colombia, Chile, Portugal, Spain and Italy. In 2017, they opened the Wardruna concert at the Festival Medieval in Brasília.

Their live performances have already covered audiences of the most diverse types: from nuns to metalheads, at wedding ceremonies or in castles. Transmitting the magic and fantasy of ancient times, the duo frequently dialogues with other artistic spheres, such as literature, visual arts, theater and dance.

Olam Ein Sof | Medieval music made in Brazil

Fernanda Ferretti and Marcelo Miranda. | Olam Ein Sof

Something not uncommon among folk artists is their origin in the heavy metal scene, especially in the most extreme genres. It is not much different with Olam Ein Sof. Instrumentalist Marcelo Miranda is the guitar player for the black metal bands Arum and Canis Lupus. However, if his musical formation is, to a large extent, a product of the “electricity era”, Miranda shows that he has mastery over the most traditional instruments, such as the cittern, the rabeca, the mandolin and the recorder. Ferretti also shows affinity with acoustic instruments, in addition to cheering listeners up with her beautiful voice.

The band has already recorded five albums, in addition to a live DVD, which was recorded during two concerts at the Wave Summer Festival in 2015, at Cotia, Brazil. In the first three albums, they were joined by other musicians for the recording processes. The second album, Celtic Mythology, was entirely recorded together with the singer Margarete Áquila. The fourth album, Reino de Cramfer, received this name from a fusion between the name Fernanda and the opposite of Marcelo, oleCram, and was entirely written in Portuguese.

In late October 2018, the duo performed at the Entre Mundos Fair in Várzea Paulista, Brazil, with the participation of the Norwegian actress Ingvild Deila (The Inner), playing Nordic songs and medieval themes. A curiosity: Ingvild starred in the movie Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as Princess Leia, having her face digitally replaced by that of Carrie Fisher’s.

Members

Marcelo Miranda (violão, mandolin, cistre, charango, flauta doce, oud e rabeca)
Fernanda Ferretti (vocal, violão, citara vox, cuatro, percussão, mondo mandolin)