RENEW: Early Music Accompanied by Trombone and Saxophone (2012)
O Virgo Splendens – anon. Medieval Chant
O Virgo Splendens, is a monodic song (a musical work with a single melodic line) from the Llibre Vermell de Montserrat (fol. 21v-22), one of the oldest extant medieval manuscripts containing music. Here the voices and instruments perform this chant in four part cannon.
Text
O Virgo splendens, hic in monte celso
Miraculis serrato fulgentibus ubique,
Quem deles conscendunt universi.
Eia pietatis oculo placato
Cerne ligatus fune peccatorum
Ne infernorum ictibus graventur
Sed cum beatis tua prece vocentur.
Translation
O resplendent Virgin, here on the high mountain,
glowing with miraculous wonders,
where the believers from everywhere ascend.
Ah, with your gentle loving eye behold
those caught in the bonds of sin,
to let them not suffer the blows of Hell,
but let them be with the blessed by your intercession.
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Verbum Caro Factum Est – anon. 12th-Century Medieval Chant
Verbum Caro Factum Est, is one of the most popular of all medieval carols, known as early as the twelfth century. The text is partly in Latin, partly in Provençal (dialects of Occitan). Several versions of this carol survive. This edition comes from the 1420 Czech Jistebnice Cantional manuscripts and it is in a binatim style, literally meaning ‘doubled’ plainchant. This was a very common type of simple polyphony. In origin it was a technique of improvising a second voice to an existing melody, often with a characteristic ‘mirroring’ of the line. The saxophone embellishes this ‘mirroring’ with a descatus style musical line.
Text
Verbum caro factum est de Virgine Maria.
In hoc anni circulo vita datur seculo,
nato nobis Parvulo de Virgine Maria.
O beata femina, cuius ventris
Gloria mundi lavat crimina de Virgine Maria.
Stella Solem protulit,
Sol salutem contulit,
carnem veram abstulit de Virgine Maria.
Translation
The Word was made flesh by the Virgin Mary.
In this rounding of the year life is given to the world;
a little Boy is born to us by the Virgin Mary.
O blessed woman,
the Glory of whose womb cleanses the sins of the
world by the Virgin Mary. A Star brings forth the Sun,
the Sun brings salvation,
and takes unto itself very flesh by the Virgin Mary.
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