A musical memory or concert on paper. This is how certain “Between agreements and chains” (Mankell, 2024) of the judge and writer define it. Jose Maria Asencioa review of more than a century of history through 50 songs. Excerpt from “One, Two, Three” Patxi Andion remember the origins of Rastro in Madrid; At Moscow from the end of the 70s with “Koni priveredlivye” or the waters of Newfoundland during the sinking of the Titanicwhile his orchestra performed “Nearer, my God, to you”. On his native territory, the author stops at Julio Iglesias and the legendary “La,la,la” by Masiel, and with Charles Manson he crosses the pond again to stop in California. Don’t let the reader backtrack if you’re unfamiliar with some of the topics you mention. At the beginning of the book there is a link to the playlist with the chords that inspired his writing.
But what pushes a judge to embark on this adventure? His debut in literature was several short stories. Then came his first novel and now he presents this essay at Círculo del Liceo, this Wednesday, October 9. A poem dedicated to him by his father who, although a doctor of law, also writes, led to Asencio (Alicante, 1988) to prepare a list of songs with which he intended to address recent events. Finally, he narrowed the selection down to 50. Why? “It’s a round number, half a hundred,” he explains. It therefore does not exclude, as some have already requested, a second part.
Music is fundamental in his life. “In everyone’s life,” confirms the president of the 11th Criminal Court of Barcelona who, he assures, takes the time to write because he does not have television or social networks. “Between agreements and chains” required a few months of research to document and thus be able to capture and condense in a few pages events from our recent history, such as the Rwandan genocide of 1994. The song chosen is “Nanga bahutu” (I hate these Hutus ), whose author, Simon Bikindi, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for inciting genocide – but not with his songs.
Asencio’s essay begins with the Civil war and ends – for the moment – with the murder of Facundo Cabral in Guatemala, after hitmen mistook him for a businessman linked to drug trafficking. In the meantime, its pages also travel through New York with the help of Janis Joplinor France at the end of the sixties while Dominique Grange plays. Its author defends that music allows us to better approach certain historical events. They all have a soundtrack. In this case, the one chosen by judge Asencio who, incidentally, is also a musician.
