o beata infantia – for six voices I decided to mix rhythmic and free passages for this one. I started by writing the second voice that accompanies the chant, picking out important words from the text to form a calm, sustained line and adding a third voice that sings the same words as the second […]
o beata infantia Still on the Disibod theme, this antiphon celebrates his childhood – that brought forth the man so inspired by God. I’ve chosen to sing it in a low register for a change. A soft approach – a lullaby for the little Disibod… It’s in the Riesencodex, but not the Dendermonde, manuscript. I’ve […]
o viriditas digiti dei – growth surrounds him Disibod, the green finger of God. He stands alone, surrounded by the growth that he nurtures. The rhythm in this one bubbled up like young shoots in the spring. Interspersed with three blocks that are like a prayer and surrounding a phrase that symbolises Disibod himself, who […]
o viriditas digiti dei For the 7th century Irish saint Disibod (who died on July 8th). In this responsory, Disibod is described by Hildegard as the greenness of God’s fingers. Interestingly, this is the only chant among the 77 that begins and ends on B. The Gloria Patri is missing from the Dendermonde manuscript, but […]
quia ergo femina – because a woman Written with the vocal ensemble La Noeva in mind, this is a six-part piece for female voices – an appropriate setting for a text that celebrates that “the highest blessing is found in female form” 😉 I hope to have the chance to sing this live with the […]
