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Three from Venance Fortunat

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Program: #06-20   Air Date: May 08, 2006

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The great French Medieval ensemble has five recent discs: "Water & Baptism," "Cluny: The Virgin," "Altera Roma," "Daniel," and "Alleluia"—we'll sample each of them.

Preservation of this program is made possible by a generous grant from a Friend of Millennium of Music.

NOTE: All of the music on this program came from recordings featuring the ensemble Venance Fortunat directed by Anne-Marie Deschamps. All the recordings are on the French label l'empreinte digitale. The CD number for each disc will be listed.

I. L'Eau & Le Bapteme (Water & Baptism)—CD # ED13060.

This disc treats the theme of water from the Old Testament into its use in Christian baptism.

Streams & Running Waters:

  • ALCUIN (d. 804): Responsory for the Office of St. Vaast: Vedastus igitur ("Vaast was leading the king towards the waters, the source of life").
  • Anon. 13th cen. Florence: Ex olivia Remensium ("The source of holy oil flows").

The First Waters:

  • Anon. Sephardic: Mizmor le David ("The Lord dwelleth above the heavenly waters").

The Crossing of the Red Sea:

  • Anon. 14th cen remnant of an earlier tradition: Submersus jacet Pharao ("Pharoah has been brought down and has been submerged").

II. Daniel: ludus danielis, 13th cen.—CD # ED13152.

The Play of Daniel, written most probably by students at Beauvais in the 12th century  and preserved along with Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas plays. Daniel remains steadfast in his faith to God despite the trials he undergoes.

  • Incipit Daniel ludus ("In Thine Honour, O Christ, this play of Daniel is presented in Beauvais").
  • Dum venerit Rex Balthazar (Belshazzar's Entry—The Vessels are carried forth).
  • Tunc principes dicant (Profanation of the Vessels—The Appearance of the Words Mene-Tekel-Peres—The Wise Men).

III. Cluny: The Virgin—Chants by Pierre le Venerable—CD # ED13109.

One of a series of discs where the ensemble looks at liturgical material from Cluny, focusing on Manuscript 17716 from the Bibliotheque Nationale, representing a great collection of chants collected at the Abbey after 1189, many by Pierre le Venerable.

  • Candida virginitas (Responsory from the Procession of the Virgin: "Virginity immaculate and beloved of paradise").
  • Preconia virginis (Sequence for the Assumption and Sunday after Pentecost: "Praise of the virgin and resplendent hymns of glory").
  • Gabrieli, celesti nuntio (Sequence for the Annunciation: "Let this assembly join Gabriel, the holy messenger").
  • Rosa flagrans (Responsory for the Virgin: "Resplendent rose, light of the sun").

IV. Alleluia—CD # ED13150.

Tracing the use of the cry of praise from its first Biblical citation chronologically in the Psalms onto the Book of Tobias and into Christian liturgy.

  • Anon. Apt Manuscript, 14th cen: Kyrie Eterne rex altissime (for a Marian Feast)
  • GOSSELIN, Bishop of Soissonnais (from the Codex Callixtinus): Alleluia! Vocavit Ihesus.
  • Anon. 11th cen. Gregorian ("the Laon neumes"): Alleluia! Dies sanctificatus (for Christmas).

V. Altera Roma—Music in the Popes' Palace in the 14th Century—CD # ED13123.

Music from the nearly one-hundred years the Papacy was seated in Avignon, with specific concentration on the pieces for the College of Capellani Capelle, established by Benedict XII in 1334.

  • Agnus Dei.
  • Gloria.
  • Kyrie O sacra Virgo ("O Blessed Holy Virgin").
  • Jhesu corona virginum ("Jesus, the crown of virgins").
  • Ave maris stella ("Hail, Star of the sea").
  • Gloria Clemens Deus artifex ("God, source of all mercy").
  • Ave regina celorum ("Hail, queen of the heavens").
  • Sanctus Sanans fragilia ("Holy Father, Who curest all feeble beings").

Composer Info

ALCUIN (d. 804)

CD Info

CD # ED13060, CD # ED13152, CD # ED13109, CD # ED13150, CD # ED13123

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