medieval.org
muziekweb.nl
ASV Gaudeamus CD GAU 354
2005
grabación:
St Mary's Parish Church, Haddington, East Lothian
noviembre de 2002 & enero de 2004
medieval Irish plainchant, from First Vespers
01 - Hymn. Adest dies leticie [3:06]
from MATINS FOR THE FEAST OF ST. BRIGIT
02 - Invitatorium. Totus orbis Brigide & Venite
[8:49]
03 - Antiphona I. Rex celestis humilem [0:29]
04 - Antiphona II. Prolis exordium [0:25]
05 - Antiphona III. Nocte matris lectulum [0:33]
06 - Lectio I. Fuit quidam dux magnus [4:06]
07 - Responsorium I. Felix Hiberniam [2:31]
08 - Lectio II. Tunc Duptachus ait [2:55]
09 - Responsorium II. Hanc de Britannia [2:23]
10 - Lectio III. Perrexit poeta [3:02]
11 - Responsorium III. In albis clerici [4:07]
12 - Antiphona IV. Fusa super parvulam [0:30]
13 - Antiphona V. Ardens velum niveum [0:32]
14 - Antiphona VI. Candor veli niveam [0:30]
15 - Lectio IV. Signa iam maxima [3:19]
16 - Responsorium IV. Lacte quod premitur [2:25]
17 - Lectio V. Deinde ipse magus [2:44]
18 - Responsorium V. Proficit in moribus [2:34]
19 - Lectio VI. Die autem alio [2:26]
20 - Responsorium VI. Virgo decorator [2:47]
21 - Antiphona VII. Vertens in cervisiam [0:35]
22 - Antiphona VIII. Quidquid vidit oculo [0:28]
23 - Antiphona IX. Christo bis sex apostolis [0:39]
24 - Lectio VII. Quadam quoque die [3:01]
25 - Responsorium VII. Larga manus Brigide [2:22]
26 - Lectio VIII. Post hec intravit [4:17]
27 - Responsorium VIII. Felix virgo viscera [2:45]
28 - Lectio IX. Alio tempore magne synodus [2:07]
29 - Responsorium IX. Regum mundi respuit [3:40]
from First Vespers
30 - Antiphona. Deo carnis edidit [1:04]
from Lauds
31 - Antiphona. Verna pollens [0:57]
from Second Vespers
32 - Antiphona. Lux Brigide Lagenie [1:17]
from Lauds
33 - Hymn. Christo canamus gloriam [3:04]
World première recordings except #1, #31
Canty
Rebecca Tavener
Libby Crabtree, voice
Ruth Dean, voice
Anne Lewis, voice
Rebecca Tavener, lectrix #6, 8, 10, 15, 17, 19, 24, 26, 28
William Taylor, wire-strung clàrsach
Our programme mostly consists of material for the Office of Matins for
the Feast of St Brigit. Matins was the longest and most 'entertaining'
of the Offices including a series of nine lections and responsories
focussing on the life and attributes of the saint. The full Office
would probably be more than two hours in length, so we present a
formal, but truncated, version which includes the original lections,
but cuts nine of the ten Psalms which would have been sung. The one
remaining Psalm is the Venite which forms a delightful structure with
its antiphon (Invitatory), alternately whole or in part, appearing
between each verse...
The date of the
manuscript might have tempted us to perform this material using
late-Medieval techniques such as applied measures and improvised
harmonies. We have steadfastly resisted doing this, wishing to present
the Office in a much more archaic manner, befitting the great antiquity
of the sources of the Brigit legends...
...Manuscript 80, from the
library of Trinity College Dublin, is the main source relied upon for
this recording. It is a fifteenth-century noted breviary, i.e., one
which includes notation for the chant melodies. Although we do not know
the details of its provenance, it was compiled probably in the
fifteenth century and is believed to have been used in the parish of
Kilmoone, Co- Meath, from at least 1470 until 1604...
...The wire-strung
clairseach was the essential art Instrument of Medieval Ireland. This
ancient harp was characterised by a sound box carved from a single
block of timber, a substantial arm reinforced with thick metal bands, a
stout forepiltar, and brass wire strings. Played with the fingernails,
the strings gave a satisfying sustain, which ancient writers described
as sounding like bells. Such harps were played in Ireland at least as
early as the 10th century, and they appear to have been used in
liturgical settings to provide an intoning pitch for the singing of
plainsong, to give instrumental preludes or interludes, and to
accompany the performance of devotional poetry. As an accompanist, my
role is to support both the tonal centre and the emotion of the music.
During the Responsories I provide a gentle line of counter-melody which
moves in the same direction as the plainsong, but which also offers a
subtle. independent commentary on the text. The Lections give an ideal
opportunity to accompany a singer as a Medieval storyteller, to present
the miracles of the saint's life in a dramatic way, with moments which
range from furious decorative filigree to sections of serene,
introspective solemnity...
In the notes about Brigit's
legends, they state:
We have one favourite
miracle that does not appear in this Office, nor in any of the most
ancient sources. It was included in O'Hanlon's 'Lives of the Irish
Saints' (1800), however, and we would like to think that it belongs to
an earlier tradition. When St Brigit was on a visit to Limerick, she
called at a chief's house only to find him away from home. Seeing harps
hanging on the walls, she asked the young men of the house to play for
her. They explained that there were no harpists present, but attempted
to play when Brigit's nuns jokingly suggested that the saint would
bless their hands. At that point, they suddenly became able to play
like trained musicians. Afterwards they became professional harpists,
and their descendants played for the kings of Ireland.
'Almighty and
everlasting God, who choosest the weak things of this world that thou
mayest overthrow the strong, give us in this feast of St Brigit
strength of mind and body, that we may with all our heart run to thee.
and serve thee in body always.' (Prayer at the end of the Office
for the Feast of St Brigit)
[from the Capella Nova website
(now not available, but it can be seen in
brigitssparklingflame.blogspot.com]