Search - Albert of Paris, Codex Calixtinus Anonymous, Ensemble Organum :: Compostela ad Vesperas Sancto Iacobi - Codex Calixtinus, 12th century /Ensemble Organum * Peres

Ensemble Organum reconstructs 12th cent. Vespers from the cu

Lyle Crawford | BC, Canada | 12/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Between the mid-1980s and late 1990s, Harmonia Mundi released a number of great, and in many cases unique, recordings by the French chant scholar Marcel Peres and his vocal group, Ensemble Organum. The group specialized in reconstructing non-Gregorian medieval Christian chant (Old Roman, Ambrosian, Beneventan, Cistercian, Corsican, Mozarabic, etc.) and is known for their sometimes controversial interpretations, which frequently incorporated elements associated with Byzantine chant. Since there had not been a new Ensemble Organum recording in several years, I had assumed they were no longer active, and so I was surprised and delighted when I stumbled across this new Ensemble Organum recording on the small but excellent Early Music label Ambroisie. One of the things that makes the label excellent is the fact that the recordings themselves are made by Musica Numeris, who produce very high quality recorded sound for several European Early Music labels. This CD is no exception. In fact, the recording, made in the Spanish Monastery of Santa Maria, is probably the best recorded chant or medieval vocal CD I've heard. I can only wish that Ensemble Organum had been captured like this in their heyday.



The liner notes seem to indicate that, rather than taking a hiatus after their Harmonia Mundi recordings, Ensemble Organum basically spent the intervening years (since 1998) working on the material represented by this recording. Peres calls the effort a "vast programme of research, publication and dissemination, aimed at creating a greater awareness of music of the twelfth century." Specifically, their subject here is music associated with the cult of St. James, which arose in the 9th century and is, apparently, experiencing something of a resurgence today. Still more specifically, "the recording presents a reconstruction of the important moments in the first Vespers of 24 July, the first stage in the celebrations of the Feast of the Passion of St. James." (This would be "James the Greater," not "the Lesser," i.e. the brother of John, not of Jesus, if you're keeping track. According to legend, James the Greater left Judea and preached in Spain before returning to Judea where he was martyred in 44 C.E., whereupon his remains were taken back to Spain.) The primary manuscript source is the Codex Calixtinus, from the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain. Ensemble Organum's work consisted of reviving traditions of singing that today can be glimpsed only in a few surviving sources and a few isolated religious communities. "The music is not easy to perform, even for specialists. One has to bear in mind information from various different fields: paleography, metric (of the text and of the music), vocal and ritual aesthetics, the material conditions of performance (positioning of the singers, within the church and in relation to each other) - and also have a clear vision of the different relationships that could be built up between the vocal gesture and what was written down."



The results are spectacular, as good as anything Ensemble Organum has ever done. (I should add that many of the members have changed over the years.) Perhaps the most striking feature is the astounding basso profundo of long-time member Antoine Sicot. Really nothing can prepare one for hearing this voice on loudspeakers or headphones with deep, accurate bass response. You will not forget the first time you hear the tremendous opening hymn, Dum Pater familias. Sicot's otherworldly bass anchors the melody with spine-tingling drones that shift from verse to verse. Interestingly, there are two refrains in this hymn, one in Latin and another in various Germanic and Roman dialects. As Peres observes and the recording demonstrates, "sung simultaneously, these two refrains give rise to polyphony," something previously unnoticed by scholars. (Another compelling example of this occurs in the other hymn, Felix per omnes, performed later in the programme.) The middle of the recording is comprised of a series of monodic antiphons and Psalms, each in a different medieval mode, and each featuring a different soloist. Though generally solemn to modern ears, these chants exemplify the comparatively "flamboyant" style of the early 12th century. Along the way, we hear distinctive ornamentation, and each typically ends with a few slow beats of simple polyphony, anchored by Sicot's bass. Then follows a 12-minute responsory sung in a supremely drawn out and meditative organum (synchronized voices at different pitches) with the "florid counterpoint" of a soloist intermittently unfolding above. The monophonic antiphon of a longer Magnificat is sung, followed by a rapturous, six-minute Benedicamus Domino/Deo Gracias sung in a more direct, penetrating style by alternating soloists. The Vespers concludes with a perfectly controlled performance of a jubilant conductus attributed to Magister Albertus of Paris. Peres identifies this as the earliest known three-part polyphony and the only surviving example of Parisian polyphony from these decades (i.e. before Leonin flourished). As it ends, Sicot's cavernous bass separates from the group in an exquisitely rich final moment that resonates through the monastery and through the listener.



Highly recommended.



Total time: 78'27"

An outstanding achievement

Sator | Sydney, Australia | 12/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Marcel Pérès has been a controversial figure for a number of years since he started to adopt Greek Orthodox vocal techniques in his interpretation of early chant. Perhaps some have felt uncomforatable being challenged by the idea that in the early church the style of singing in the Western and Eastern Churches was much closer and that the all too familiar orthodox Solemnes style of singing chant is far removed from that of Medieval practice. Whether it is evidence of him moving from raw experimentation to a mature style, this recording vindicates Pérès in a way that no recording before it even comes close to. The results here have a rivotting power and intensity that are hypnotic from first note to last. The darker sounds with extensive use of chest voice withstanding, the tempi, the phrasing - everything comes together here for a unique listening experience that must be heard to be believed. Even the vocal production now has a rich beauty compared to the edgier sounds that Ensemble Organum have a reputation for producing.



Quite rightly this recording was awarded a Diapason d'Or in recognition of it's outstanding artistry. Very good recording sound.



Essential listening."