Estonian ensemble Vox Clamantis brings together singers and instrumentalists who share an interest in Gregorian chant as the basis of all European art music. Their interpretation of medieval music is never purely ‘historical’: while always remaining true to the spirit of this repertoire, the approach to the work and the selection of pieces is contemporary. On the present disc, drawing upon the rich tradition in music history on the theme of „Filia Sion“, Vox Clamantis presents medieval music from Gregorian chant to works by Perotinus, Hildegard von Bingen and Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz. In the Old Testament, "Filia Sion" – the Daughter of Zion – refers to both the holy city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people who built the Temple on Mount Zion. In medieval Christian tradition, Holy Mary became the incarnation of the Daughter of Zion as the personification of the church.
Filia Sion
Vox Clamantis, Jaan-Eik Tulve
Das Estnische Ensemble Vox Clamantis vereint Sänger und Instrumentalisten, die von Gregorianischen Gesängen als Grundlage aller Europäischen Kunstmusik fasziniert sind. Ihre Interpretationen mittelalterlicher Musik sind nie rein 'historisch': während sie dem Geist dieses Repertoires stets treu bleiben, ist ihr Zugang dazu und die Auswahl der Stücke stets von einem heutigen Verständnis geprägt. Auf der vorliegenden Aufnahme präsentieren Vox Clamantis mittelalterliche Musik von anonymen Gregorianischen Gesängen bis zu Werken von Perotinus, Hildegard von Bingen und Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz, indem sie sich auf die reiche Tradition des Topos der „Filia Sion“ in der Musikgeschichte fokussieren. Im Alten Testament bezieht sich der Begriff "Filia Sion" - Tochter Zions – sowohl auf die heilige Stadt Jerusalem als auch auf das jüdische Volk, das den Tempel auf dem Berg Zion errichtete. In der mittelalterlich-christlichen Tradition stand die Heilige Maria als Inkarnation der Tochter Zions auch für die Personifizierung der Kirche.
- 1Ecce venit / Psalm 94
09:36 - 2Virgo prudentissima / Magnificat
04:59 - 3Gaudeamus
02:47 - 4Rex virginum
03:35 - 5Gloria
03:31 - 6Beata viscera
08:20 - 7Audi filia
05:22 - 8Prelustri elucentia
02:43 - 9Ave Maria
06:09 - 10O ignis spiritus
06:25 - 11Agnus Dei
01:07 - 12Exulta filia Sion
03:05 - 13O Maria
04:46 - 14Salve regina
02:52 - 15Ma navu
05:41
“Filia Sion” is the first ECM New Series disc devoted entirely to the Estonian vocal group Vox Clamantis. From the beginning of its history, Vox Clamantis has focussed on Gregorian chant as the foundation of European music, but has also maintained strong connections to contemporary composers including Arvo Pärt, Helena Tulve and Erkki-Sven Tüür (members of the ensemble previously appeared on Tüür’s “Oxymoron” album, singing his composition “Salve Regina”). Their interpretation of medieval music is never purely historical. While always remaining true to the spirit of this repertoire, the approach to the work and the selection of pieces is contemporary, with sound and texture and the blending of voices as a focus.
As leader Jaan-Eik Tulve explains, “Gregorian chant is monophonic music which remarkably emphasizes the blend of voices. Working on sound and colour of voices has been one of the constant priorities of our ensemble.” This emphasis is the thread that connects its repertoire through the centuries: “I started with Gregorian chant and later moved on to the contemporary music for multiple reasons: firstly, my personal interest in certain contemporary music that draws attention to the sound and is centred on the horizontal musical phrase and melody in its deeper sense. On the other hand, our ensemble has been lucky and several Estonian composers have composed pieces for us, as they have appreciated our approach to the sound, phrase and to the entire musical expression…”
On the present album, drawing upon the rich tradition in music history on the theme of “Filia Sion”, Vox Clamantis sings medieval music from Gregorian chant to works by Perotin, Hildegard von Bingen and Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz. In the Old Testament, “Filia Sion” – the Daughter of Zion – refers to both the holy city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people who built the Temple on Mount Zion. In medieval Christian tradition, Holy Mary became the incarnation of the Daughter of Zion as the personification of the church.
Jaan-Eik Tulve: “The repertoire for the CD emerged naturally from our concert activity. We are specially focussing on the theme of Virgin Mary, who is for me personally a very important figure, who is equally honoured in medieval music. We have had different collaborations with various musicians from a number of traditions. The last piece on the CD – ‘Ma Navu’ – derives from a program around Jewish traditional music. Most of our arrangements are born in the rehearsals while improvising. For instance, when a couple of our singers started to explore overtone-singing, we tried to incorporate it into our repertoire and the pedal-notes in Perotin, on this recording, seemed for us an appropriate use.”
From the liner notes by Klára Jirsová: “The Gospels do not reveal all of Mary’s feelings to us; the mystery of the Incarnation is only briefly presented. Relying on a few phrases and returning endlessly to the sacred words and setting them in different contexts, the musical tradition shows their inexhaustible richness. Medieval compositions meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation in all its aspects. They display different shades of joy: explosive, superabundant joy which wells up like a source, as well as the shimmer of peaceful, meditative wonder before ‘the miracle never seen, the joy never known’”.
“Filia Sion” was recorded in the Dome Church of St Nicholas, Haapsalu, with Helena Tulve as recording supervisor.
As leader Jaan-Eik Tulve explains, “Gregorian chant is monophonic music which remarkably emphasizes the blend of voices. Working on sound and colour of voices has been one of the constant priorities of our ensemble.” This emphasis is the thread that connects its repertoire through the centuries: “I started with Gregorian chant and later moved on to the contemporary music for multiple reasons: firstly, my personal interest in certain contemporary music that draws attention to the sound and is centred on the horizontal musical phrase and melody in its deeper sense. On the other hand, our ensemble has been lucky and several Estonian composers have composed pieces for us, as they have appreciated our approach to the sound, phrase and to the entire musical expression…”
On the present album, drawing upon the rich tradition in music history on the theme of “Filia Sion”, Vox Clamantis sings medieval music from Gregorian chant to works by Perotin, Hildegard von Bingen and Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz. In the Old Testament, “Filia Sion” – the Daughter of Zion – refers to both the holy city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people who built the Temple on Mount Zion. In medieval Christian tradition, Holy Mary became the incarnation of the Daughter of Zion as the personification of the church.
Jaan-Eik Tulve: “The repertoire for the CD emerged naturally from our concert activity. We are specially focussing on the theme of Virgin Mary, who is for me personally a very important figure, who is equally honoured in medieval music. We have had different collaborations with various musicians from a number of traditions. The last piece on the CD – ‘Ma Navu’ – derives from a program around Jewish traditional music. Most of our arrangements are born in the rehearsals while improvising. For instance, when a couple of our singers started to explore overtone-singing, we tried to incorporate it into our repertoire and the pedal-notes in Perotin, on this recording, seemed for us an appropriate use.”
From the liner notes by Klára Jirsová: “The Gospels do not reveal all of Mary’s feelings to us; the mystery of the Incarnation is only briefly presented. Relying on a few phrases and returning endlessly to the sacred words and setting them in different contexts, the musical tradition shows their inexhaustible richness. Medieval compositions meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation in all its aspects. They display different shades of joy: explosive, superabundant joy which wells up like a source, as well as the shimmer of peaceful, meditative wonder before ‘the miracle never seen, the joy never known’”.
“Filia Sion” was recorded in the Dome Church of St Nicholas, Haapsalu, with Helena Tulve as recording supervisor.
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