Vespers
Incipit
Antiphon I (Laudabile nomen domini)
and Psalm 109 (Dixit Dominus)
Antiphon II (Viniculum cast dilectionis)
and Psalm 112 (Laudate pueri)
Antiphon III (Integratis eius) and Psalm
121 (Laetatus sum)
Antiphon IV (Itaque gloria) and Psalm
126 (Nisi Dominus)
Antiphon V (Tandem rex) and Psalm 147
(Lauda Hierusalem)
Capitulom
Responsorium (O Regina Predicanda)
Hymnus (Jesus corona virginum)
Versiculum
Antiphon (Magnificet te domine) and
Magnificat
Oratio
Versiculum
First Nocturne
Invitatorium
Antiphon I (Beata Kunedundis) and Psalm
8 (Domine, Dominus noster)
Antiphon II (Lege domini) and Psalm
18 (Celi ennarant gloriam Dei)
Antiphon II (Innocens minibus) and Psalm
23 (Domini est terra)
Lectio I and Responsorium (Virgo mire
castitatis)
Lectio II and Responsorium (Liberorum
succesionem)
Lectio III and Responsorium (Notat est
igitur)
Second Nocturne
Invitatorium
Antiphon I (Regina quondam terrestris)
and Psalm 44 (Eructavit cor meum)
Antiphon II (In tribulcionibus eius)
and Psalm 45 (Deus noster refugium)
Antiphon III (Fundamenda) and Psalm
86 (Fundamenta eius)
Lectio I and Responsorium (Pro fama
ero conversacionis)
Lectio II and Responsorium (Cumque deo
dilecta)
Lectio III and Responsorium (Dixit autem
virgo pura)
The historical Kunigonde
was the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor
Henry II (crowned in 1014). She died
in 1033. Henry II was canonised in 1146
and Kunigonde in 1200. One of the popular
legends about her was the story that,
to prove that she was innocent of adultery
she walked bare-foot over glowing ploughshares;
her survival was testament to her innocence.
Both Kunigonde and
Henry were buried in Bamberg Cathedral
and this became a centre for their veneration.
Two days were sacred to Kunigonde, the
day of her death (March 3rd)
and the day her remains were brought
to Bamberg (September 9th).
On both these days a "historia
propia" was sung from a book of
hours devoted to the Saint. At the end
of the 13th century, a new
manuscript was produced for use at services
with newly composed chants. This manuscript
still survives and is the basis for
the music in this recording.
The music is still
Gregorian chant, but chant which takes
account of musical developments happening
in the world, notably at Notre-Dame
de Paris where polyphony was being performed.
The full office would take around four
hours to sing, so for this disc the
performers have selected just three
services, the first Vespers and the
first two Nocturnes of the night time
service, Matins. The text of the individual
items in the services – the antiphons,
lessons and responsories – all narrate
elements from Kunigonde’s story.
Each Nocturne begins
with the recitation of three psalms,
each psalm being framed at the beginning
and end with a short antiphon. The psalms
are then followed by readings from the
life of the saint, each reading being
followed by a responsory which is a
musically more elaborate composition,
consisting of a chorus and middle section
sung by one or more soloists and then
the repeat of the middle section. This
more complex music acts as a fine foil
for the simplicity (almost monotony)
of the readings; a monotony necessary
so that the message of the reading can
be apprehended by the listeners.
The Vespers service
is more complex and opens with a short
incipit and then a sequence of five
psalms - Dixit Dominus (Psalm 109),
Laudate pueri (Psalm 112), Laetatus
sum (Psalm 121), Nisi Dominius (Psalm
126), Lauda Hierusalem (Psalm 1476)
- and their antiphons, followed by a
responsory and a hymn, Jesu Corona Virginum;
Kunigonde was classified as a Virgin
in the medieval period. Then finally
comes the Magnificat with its antiphon.
The disc begins and ends atmospherically
with the chiming of the Kunigonde bell
from Bamberg Cathedral, a bell which
dates from the 12th century.
Schola Bamberg are
a group of seven singers who, in addition
to the regular professional singing
life, come together to perform music
associated with Bamberg. Their first
recording was of the music for the coronation
service of Henry II. They are directed
by their founder, Werner Pees, who is
the musical director of Bamberg Cathedral.
I enjoyed this disc
immensely. The group sing with a naturalness
and flexibility which implies a high
degree of familiarity and they make
a good uniform sound. The various solo
passages are taken by a variety of uncredited
members of the group; not all have an
ideal vocal timbre for the music, but
all sing with clarity and with admirable
attention to the text. There were just
a couple of moments when I thought that
a little extra session time might have
not come amiss.
They are recorded cleanly
with just a little ambient reverberation.
Reading the booklet, you learn that
the recording was made in a studio,
so presumably this reverberation is
added. It is a shame that the recording
could not have been made in a cathedral
or some other suitable location. But
this is my only complaint.
The singers sing the
Latin with a Germanic pronunciation,
as is right. There has been no attempt
to recreate forgotten musical practices;
the chant is sung in a fine, straightforward
way. So the disc forms an ideal introduction
to the vast array of offices written
for the rich variety of medieval saints.
Robert Hugill
Schola Bamberg/Werner Pees 