Representation
North America
Jon Aaron
Managing Director
Aaron Concert Artists
331 West 57th St. #344
New York 10019
Phone: 212-665-0313
E-mail: jon@aaronconcert.com
Europe
Valérie Lafont
Cinquièmes Cordes
42, rue des Vinaigriers
F-75010 Paris
Phone: +33 (0)1 40 35 71 56
E-mail: valerie@cinquiemescordes.com
The Ensemble
Sequentia is one of the world’s most respected and innovative ensembles for medieval music. It is an international group of singers and instrumentalists – united in Paris under the direction of the legendary performer and teacher Benjamin Bagby – for performances and recordings of Western European music from the period before 1300. The size and disposition of the ensemble is determined by the repertoire being performed, and ranges between an instrumental/vocal duo to a large vocal ensemble. Based on meticulous research, intensive rehearsal and long gestation, Sequentia’s virtuosic performances are compelling, surprising in their immediacy, and strike the listener with a timeless emotional connection to our own past musical cultures. More
Fragments for the End of Time / Endzeitfragmente
Benjamin Bagby: voice, harps, symphonia;
Norbert Rodenkirchen: flutes, harp.
In this unique recording of largely unknown repertoires from the 9th-11th centuries, Sequentia explores the surprising and powerful apocalyptic texts – some of them surviving only as fragments – which terrified early medieval Christians in Aquitaine and in German-speaking lands. More
Current Programs
new Voices from the Island Sanctuary
A new program of vocal music from the milieu of Notre Dame de Paris and the schools of the Latin Quarter (ca. 1170-1235).
Listen to a live recording of the premiere of this programme on 20 November 2009 in Paris (available from France Musique via internet until 2 January 2010). More
The Grail, the Knight and the Poet: the Medieval ‘Perceval’ Legend
A dramatic new program of song, story and instrumental music from 12th and 13th century Germany and France (commissioned by the Cité de la Musique in Paris and premiered in November 2008). More
Fragments for the End of Time
In this program, we explore the musical world of these surprising, powerful texts, some of which survive only as fragments: the Old High German Muspilli, which describes the waking of the dead, the workings of Satan, the fight of Elias with Anti-Christ, the call to judgement, and warns of the uselessness of wealth and bribery in that final courtroom...More
The Rheingold Curse: A Germanic Saga of Greed and Vengeance from the Medieval Icelandic ‘Edda’
An ensemble of five musicians (voices, harps, flute, fiddle) retells the dramatic story of the Rheingold, Sigurd and Brynhildur, the dragon and Gudrun’s murder of Attila the Hun. North American tour in January 2010. More
Upcoming Concerts
10 January 2010
Tucson, AZ
Fragments for the End of Time
15 January 2010
Lubbock, Texas
Fragments for the End of Time
16 January 2010
Jackson, Mississippi
Fragments for the End of Time
22 January 2009
Vancouver, BC
The Rheingold Curse
News
Visions of Paradise
In September 2009 a new film about the life of Hildegard von Bingen, directed by Margarethe von Trotta and starring Barbara Sukowa, was released in Germany. More
Interview with Benjamin Bagby
WNYC, New York Public Radio, aired an interview with the ‘Beowulf’ performer, B. Bagby. Listen to the show
Beowulf on DVD
Benjamin Bagby’s legendary performance of the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf (part I) recorded live in Helsingborg, Sweden.
Visit the Beowulf website
