Via Sonora
1994

new-renaissance.eenet.ee

december 1994
Tartu Katoliku kirikus

1 - Polorum Regina (Llibre Vermell)   [4:56]
2 - Domine praevenisti (Gregorian chant)   [3:17]
3 - Collaudemus Christum regem   [4:35]
4 - O admirabile Veneris ydolum   [2:47]
5 - Genitricem Dei   [4:59]
6 - Surrexit Christus hodie   [3:50]
7 - Istanpitta Ghaetta (instrumental)   [10:37]
8 - Adam de la HALLE: Or est Bayard   [3:04]
9 - CSM 166. Como poden   [3:57]
10 - Venite populi (Gregorian chant)   [2:14]
11 - Polorum Regina (Llibre Vermell)   [4:56]



Sources:

#1: Llibre Vermell
#2: Gregorian chant
#3: Bohemia, 15th century
#4: Italy, 11th century
#5: Bohemia, 15th century
#6: Bohemia, 14th century
#7: Italy, 14th century
#8: France, 13th century
#9: Cantigas de Sancta Maria
#10: Gregorian chant
#11: Llibre Vermell




Via Sonora

Tarmo Tabas • tenor, percussion
Heikki-Rein Veromann • bass, plucked instruments, dulcimer, percussion
Meelis Tõns • tenor
Toivo Sõmer • lute
Jaanus Roosileht • fiddle, rebec
Raho Langsepp • flute, recorders, shawm, percussion

Formed in Tartu in 1985, Via Sonora find themselves equally at home filling a spacious cathedral or creating an intimate atmosphere in an art gallery or museum. They have already made their mark at a number of festivals in the Baltic and Scandinavia, and are now beginning to bring their unique style to Western Europe.

Their repertoire comes from both Church and Court, and covers the entire medieval period: from the captivating simplicity of Gregorian chant, to songs in which several contrasting melodies are woven together to a rich musical tapestry. Improvisation is one of the special features of the group. As well as music from French, Italian and Spanish manuscripts, the present collection also features Bohemian hymns, in which – despite their sacred Latin texts – one can feel a strong influence of popular or folk music.

The Ensemble’s focus has been on the delightful inner harmony which dwells within this music, the mutual respect and balance between the voices: and this they take as the basis and model for the very special harmony within the ensemble, too. "One feels their sensitivity to historical style not as a limitation but as a very definite gracing of their music: it frees the members to draw on their experiences from other worlds – renaissance music, church music, jazz – to produce a freshness, a sincerity in their interpretations which is quite simply beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable. "

David Kettlewell