. . . early music
TU DORMI
by Jacopo Peri (1561 – 1633)
A soft mourn for those who sleep and forget / forget the idea that humanity is a big family on Earth…
Performed with Alex Mastichiadis, filmed by Georgia Mantalia & Dimitris Papadopoulos, edited by Kristia Michael & Georgia Mantalia, mixing & mastering by Ilias Pantelias Sculpture.
VIRIDITAS
Debut Audiovisual album by Sibil•la Ensemble and TRPTK, directed by cinematographer Jonas Sacks.
German, Spanish, French and Cypriot chants and secular music about the power of nature, from the 12th and 13th centuries.
A CHANTAR
by Comtessa de Dia (c. 1140-1212)
The only trobairitz (woman troubadour) song that survived accompanied by its music. Comtessa de Dia expresses her deep pain and frustration over loving someone who does not reciprocate her feelings.
Read more about women troubadours, Comtessa de Dia and A chantar on our blog:
O RUBOR SANGUINIS
by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
Sibil•la Ensemble, Andrew Hopper on the vielle, audio&video production
An antiphon from the “First Vespers for St. Ursula and the 11,000 Virgin-Martyrs of Cologne”.
“O red of blood that flowed from up that height divinity has touched: a bloom you are that winter with the serpent’s blast has never marred.“
TELS RIT AU MAIN QUI AU SOIR PLEURE
by Guillaume de Machaut (1300 – 1377)
Complainte from “Le Rèmede de Fortune”.
“He laughs in the morning who weeps at night / And a man trusts that Love labors / To his benefit though she launches an assault / And does him an evil turn, / And he thinks Joy hastens his way / To help when in fact she never budges. / Now Fortune is the source of all this harm / As she turns her wheel, / Not waiting for day to dawn / To start it in motion; rather she never rests, / But turns, turns again, and turns it all around / Until she brings to the very top / The man lying defeated in the gutter; / The one on top she conveys to the bottom, / Distressing and discouraging in a flash / Those who are most happy.“
ROSA DAS ROSAS
Cantigas de Santa María (13th century, Spain)
Ensemble Cantara, voice Elli Aloneftou, renaissance lute Niki Andronikou, santur Veronica Aloneftou, Cretan lyre Zacharias Spyridakis, oud Giannis Koutis, percussion Marios Solomou
“Rose of the roses, Flower of flowers, Lady of ladies, Lord of lords […] For the Lady who guides me, her troubadour I’d gladly be, If I could in any way possess her love, I’d give up all the other lovers.“
MORS SUI, JE NE VOUS VOY
by Guillaume de Machaut (1300 – 1377)
Sibil•la Ensemble, Marguerite Maire recorder
“I shall die if I do not see you, Lady of Honour.”
VENITE A LAUDARE
Laudario di Cortona (13th century, Italy)
Sibil•la Ensemble, vielle Andrew Hopper, recorder Marguerite Maire, organetto Tímea Daradics
“Come to praise for love and sing To the loving Virgin Mary.”
Ο VIS ÆTERNITATIS
by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179)
organ Anita Tomasevitch
Responsory for the Creator and Redeemer.
“O power within Eternity, all things you held in order in your heart, and through your word were all created according to your will. And then, your very Word was clothed within that form of flesh from Adam born. And so his garments were washed and cleansed from greatest suffering.”
SE BRIEF RETOUR
Codex Turin J.II.9 (Cyprus, 15th century)
Sibil•la Ensemble, vielle Andrew Hopper, recorder Marguerite Maire
The collection of this valuable manuscript is believed to have been made by a French composer from the Lusignan court in Nicosia (Cyprus), between 1413 and 1430. French musicians arrived in Cyprus with Charlotte de Bourbon, the future queen and wife of King Janus de Lusignan. According to Leontios Macheras, was as a patron of arts in the island, with a special devotion to music.
TOUT FRAY SOLAS FERAY
Codex Turin J.II.9 (Cyprus, 15th century)
Sibil•la Ensemble, vielle Andrew Hopper, recorder Marguerite Maire, medieval lute Andrew Jeremy Bass, percussion Ivan Gianakis.
“All the pleasure, all the melancholy, and anything bad, hunt me. All my weariness shall be renewed, and all will undo the feature of Fortune, who is my great enemy, when they will sing so clearly.”
ΤΟ ΓΙΑΣΕΜΙ / TO YASEMI
Traditional of Cyprus
Ensemble Cantara, renaissance lute Niki Andronikou, santur Veronica Aloneftou, Cretan lyre Zacharias Spyridakis, oud Giannis Koutis, percussion Marios Solomou
VIRGEN MADRE GRORÏOSA
Cantigas de Santa María (13th century, Spain)
“Glorious Virgin Mother, Daughter and Bride of God, Holy, Noble, Precious, who could know how or be able to praise You? For God is Light and Day, but because of our base nature we could not see His face except through You, who were the Dawn.“
Kristia Michael 