Precious Hope contains music from my Hildegard Revisitedproject. Each work is a modern, “classical music” revisiting of one of Hildegard von Bingen’s chants. The chant is sung in its integrity, but surrounded by new music that I have composed inspired by the chant and informed by my own personal musical journey. Medieval music for the 21st century 🙂
In preparation for Ensemble Caldemia’s “maiden voyage” – our concert in the Brussels Cathedral on March 16, 2025 (tickets available here) – I have reworked my previous revisiting of Hildegard’s antiphon O orzchis ecclesia for five voices and two cellos.
Here is my home-recorded version. I can’t wait to play it live!
O orzchis ecclesia armis divinis precincta et iacincto ornata tu es caldemia stigmatum loifolum et urbs scientiarum o tu es etiam crizanta in alto sono et es chorzta gemma
O orzchis [vast] Church, shielded with divine might and adorned with jacinth: you are caldemia [the scent] of the stigmata loifolum [of the people] and a city of knowledge. O, o, you are indeed crizanta [anointed] in the lofty sound; you are a chorzta [shining] jewel.
Other words from the Lingua Ignota used during this piece: curizan – jewelry settings naczuon – necklace naurizin – ring gragischon – bracelet oiralbruin – earrings crizia – church loiffol – people scurinz – flame orschibuz – oak tree
Note about the composition: For two of the vocal sections, I wrote the music using an improvisation technique based on the idea of neumes and relative pitch. For each word from the Lingua Ignota I decided in advance whether, relative to the first note sung, the pitch would then rise, fall or stay the same for each subsequent syllable. I then respected this relationship between the syllables but was free in the actual pitches and rhythm used. For example, the three syllables of “curizan” were given the shape: “first note, higher, lower”, while “orschibuz” was “first note, same, same”, etc.
I am pleased to say that, as announced in my previous post, Cum processit – the finger of God was premiered at our concert in the Lundi d’Orgue / Orgel op Maandag lunchtime series in Brussels on December 16, 2024.
This setting is for voice and organ, rather than my usual cellos and voices mix. The chant is a Marian antiphon, and I chose to create the setting for the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12th. As legend has it, the Virgin Mary appeared to the Mexican Juan Diego and his uncle in 1531. The most famous phrase linked to these appearances – ¿No estoy yo aqui que soy tu madre? (Am I not here, I who am your mother?) – is written above the entrance to the Basilica in Guadalupe.
Here’s the live recording. I am accompanied by the talented organist Xavier Deprez.
When the creation of God’s finger came forth, formed in God’s image, issuing of mixed blood through the pilgrim-way of Adam’s fall, then the elements received these vital joys in you, O Mary, worthy of praise, and in the reddening sky they sound you in their praises.
