Aquitania
Christmas Music from Aquitanian Monasteries (12th c.)

CD (total time 73:04)

Recorded February & June 1996 and November 1994 in the church of the Campion Center, Weston MA (USA) and July 1997 in the Basilica at Knechtsteden (D)

Released 1997 by Deutsche Harmonia Mundi / BMG Classics (05472773832)

Booklet 51 pp.

 

The two titles, Aquitania and Shinig Light, containing the vocal art of 12th c. Aquitaine (also known as St. Martial de Limoges) bring to fruition a project which is as old as the ensemble: one of Sequentia’s first projects in 1979 was a concert programme devoted to music from St. Martial, commissioned by the city of Limoges. Together, these two discs they contain a large cross-section of music from this fertile period in European musical life: 38 pieces, polyphonic and monophonic, in celebration of Christmas and the mystery of Incarnation. This is Sequentia’s first recording project made in North America. These two CDs should have been released as one double-CD, but the record label preferred to keep them separate. Bagby & Thornton are joined by men’s and women’s vocal ensemble – 14 singers – and Elizabeth Gaver directs a large instrumental ensemble of fiddles, with Norbert Rodenkirchen playing medieval flute.