Maria
/ Helena Ek
Medieval Songs and Swedish Traditional Music
helenaek.com
musicweb-international
Musica Rediviva MRCD 015
2006
[67:10]
1. Jungfru Maria [3:09]
E A Karlfeldt / N Söderström, 20th C. —
Soprano solo
The Virgin Mary is a poem from Erik Axel Karlfeldt's (1866-1931)
Dalecarlian Paintings in Rhyme and has been set to music by Nils
Söderström (1894-1956). For this collection of poems, Jerk
Werkmäster in 1920 made a series of woodcuts, of which The Virgin
Mary adorns the front cover of this CD-issue. In all these forms, the
Virgin Mary is represented as an innocent young maiden from the
neighbouring village.
2. Sankt Göran och draken [5:43]
St George & the Dragon, trad., c. 1500 —
Soprano + pipe (Offerdals-pipa) & harp
The text alludes to the Battle of Brunkeberg (1471, Stockholm at
stake!). The melody is a reconstruction made by Jan Winter, partly
based on the German In gotes namen faren wir. The text variant chosen
is the oldest one, in which mention is still made of the Virgin Mary
(Catholic saint) as inspiring St. George with the courage to defeat the
dragon (the Danish army). The song is followed by an instrumental
version from the province of Jämtland, handed down by Karl
Tirén.
3. Retrowange novelle [3:41]
text: Jacques de Cambrai, 13th C. —
Soprano + frame drum (bohdran)
4. Rosa das rosas [5:20]
CSM 10
King ALFONSO X, Spain, 13th C.) —
Soprano + twin pipes (from Uruguay) & hurdy-gurdy
The song is found in the Cantigas de Santa Maria, a collection of more than 400 songs of homage and miracle (cf. #16).
5. Shepherd's tune [1:26]
trad. —
Pipe solo (Månmarka-pipa)
The tune is handed down by Brita Lisa Jonsson, Torp, Medelpad.
6. Wer ist sie die da leuchtet [3:34]
(Oswald von Wolkenstein, 1377-1445 —
Soprano + fiddle
Wolkenstein, Tyrolean nobleman, diplomat, mercenary soldier, brigand
etc., wrote everything from burlesque drinking songs to lovely songs
about the Holy Virgin.
7. Angelus ad virginem [1:22]
England, c. 1300 —
Soprano + hurdy-gurdy
This song about the Annunciation appears to have been very popular in
medieval England and is found both in polyphonic arrangements and in
plain versions with drone accompaniment throughout a period of 150
years.
8. Josef, käre Josef min [1:49]
Germay, 16th C. —
Soprano + harp
The originally German melody of Joseph, dearest Joseph mine is also
found in the Finnish-Swedish collection Piae Cantiones but with the
text Resonet in laudibus. (Max Reger may have had this very tune in the
back of his mind when he wrote his famous Mariæ Wiegenlied.)
9. Edi beo thu, hevene quene [1:36]
England, late 13th C. —
Soprano + hurdy-gurdy
10. Beata progenies [2:15]
Leonel POWER, c. 1375- 1445 —
Soprano + harp
11. Stond wel moder under roode [6:07]
England, 14th C. —
Soprano + hurdy-gurdy
A most personal dialogue between Mary and Jesus on the cross. Jesus
regards his suffering in a universal perspective, while Mary sees her
son's agony.
12. Du ädela ros [1:18]
You noble rose, trad. —
pipe solo (Månmarka-pipa)
Free pipe improvisation on Kristallen den fina (see #13).
13. Kristallen den fina [2:12]
trad. from Skattungbyn, Dalarna/Dalecarlia —
Soprano solo
A lyric folk-song about love and admiration, which, however, also
contains symbols for Maria: kristallen den fina (the crystal so
precious), du ädela rose (you noble rose), förgyllande skrin
(radiant golden shrine).
14. Stella splendens [5:30]
LV 2
Spain, 14th C. —
Soprano + fiddle, positiv organ & "choir"
15. Polorum regina [4:21]
LV 7
Spain, 14th C. —
Soprano + pipe (Härjedals- resp. Offerdals-pipa) & harp
Two pilgrim songs from the Llibre Vermell about the Holy Virgin. In the
first she is symbolized by the Morning Star. In the second song she is
invoked as the Queen of Heaven.
All the way from Trondheim up in the north, in ever increasing groups,
people joined the pilgrimages moving south through Europe on their way
to Saint James's grave at Santiago de Compostela in the north-west of
Spain. One of the most famous personages in the Christian world of that
time, the Swedish Birgitta Birgersdotter (later Saint Bridget)
participated with her family in one of these pilgrimages and may have
blessed these songs also for making the wandering easier.
16. Como poden per sas culpas [2:59]
CSM 166
ALFONSO X, cf. #4 —
Soprano + drone on string drum (tambourin à cordes)
A miracle tale from Cantigas de Santa Maria tells about the Virgin Mary
revealing herself after the Mass, healing a poor paralysed man, so that
he can return home walking by himself. In the refrains the congregation
is praising the Holy Virgin and rejoicing in the miracle.
17. Limu limu lima [1:25]
trad. pastoral tune from Älvdalen, Dalecarlia —
Pipe solto (Månmarka-pina)
The text possibly originates from a 14th century Icelandic Marian prayer.
18. O florens rosa [3:02]
Jean GHISELIN, c. 1455-c. 1511 —
Soprano + positive organ
Like many contemporary Franco-Flemish composers, Ghiselin spent some
years in Italy. This three-part composition was probably made during
his employment at the court in Ferrara 1493-1503.
19. Ave Mater, o Maria [3:46]
WOLKENSTEIN, cf. #6 —
Soprano + fiddle & positive organ
A three-part Marian hymn with texts both in Latin and German (but little in correspondence to the Latin original).
20. Vergine bella [3:20]
Guillaume DuFAY, 1400-74 —
Soprano + fiddle & positive organ
Francesco Petrarca's (1304-74) famous poem may have been adorned with
Dufay's beautiful music, when the composer, still very young, visited
Italy in the 1420's. In an allegorical way, the poem, like so many
medieval texts, deals with a religious mystery or miracle which
attracted people's wonder and fascination to a very great extent,
sometimes raising their doubts, sometimes confirming their faith in
Almighty God, i.e. the Virgin who became a mother without losing her
virginity.
21. Marias häpnad [0:41]
Mary's Amazement; C J L Almqvist, 1793-1866 —
Soprano Solo
22. Den lyssnande Maria [1:17]
The Listenning Mary; Almqvtst, see #21 —
Soprano Solo
The concluding two Marian songs come from the collection Songes (from
1828-40), dreamlike poems by the Swedish writer and composer Carl Jonas
Love Almqvist. The author's inspiration is said to have come from a
painting representing the Annunciation.
The quantity of music inspired by the Holy Virgin is immense. As a
student at the Academy for Music and Drama in Gothenburg, thanks to my
teacher Sven Berger, I became aware of the rich treasure of Marian
songs preserved from medieval Europe. Ever since, I have been
fascinated by the countless songs of tender adoration for this unique
woman. My collaboration with the piper and percussion player Göran
Månsson has enriched my repertoire with Nordic folk-music, and
the sound of Göran's provincial folk pipes has also been used to
lend colour to the medieval songs.
During several years I have approached this music in performances of my
own, using hurdy-gurdy and medieval fiddle as a complement to my voice.
At the recording of this CD, thanks to the participation of fellow
musicians, I had the opportunity to accomplish my concept by adding
also pipe, percussion, harp and organ.
Helena Ek
HELENA EK, soprano singer,
has a broad repertory, but has mainly been performing early music. In
this field she has maintained, for some years, a continuous
collaboration with some outstanding musicians, such as the lute-players
Jakob Lindberg and Stephen Stubbs.
Helena Ek has worked with the Norwegian Baroque Orchestra, the Baroque
Ensemble of Drottningholm and the Stockholm Baroque Ensemble, as well
as the Corona Artis, Gothenburg, with which she has made a tour
together with the Flemish viol-player Wieland Kuijken. She has
participated in several baroque operas and made her début in
1997 in the Royal Palace Theatre of Drottningholm.
Her artistic activities also consist of extensive touring, for instance
in Japan, England, Switzerland, Germany and Italy. On a number of
occasions she has appeared on television and radio and has recorded
several CD's with Renaissance and baroque music, for example in the
U.K. for Sony Classical and Virgin Classics. On the label of Musica
Rediviva her voice can also be heard on two earlier issues.
GÖRAN MÅNSSON is widely respected as one of Sweden's most
interesting and dynamic players of recorders and equivalent provincial
folk pipes in the fields of folk-music and early music. He has his
roots in Haverö in the inner parts of Norrland and maintains a
unique heritage of folk-music in the family Lång.
Göran Månsson has participated in a series of CD productions
and is represented on labels like BIS, Sony and Universal. His first
solo record, "Inland", got brilliant reviews and was followed by "Mon",
where he plays together with Roger Tallroth in the folk-music group
Vasen. He makes frequent solo performances but-also makes "sit-ins" in
the groups Gjallarhorn, Månsson & åberg and Frispel.
Recorded: 25-27 January 2006 at Hemsjö Church, near Goteborg, Sweden
Commentary: Helena Ek and Sven Berger
Producer: Satoko Berger-Fujimoto
Recording engineer: Mats Hellberg, Hellberg Ljud
Front picture: Jungfru Maria, woodcut by Jerk Werkmäster © Jerk Werkmäster/BUS 2006
Translation: Georg Thönners (English), Satoko Berger-Fujimoto (Japanese)
Design/pictures: Leif Haglund, Urbane Guerilla DesignGroup, www.plattform1.com
Musicians:
Göran Månsson: pipes, drum, string drum, hurdy-gurdy; 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17
Johannes Landgren: organ; 14, 18, 19, 20
Marie-Louise Marming: fiddle and vocal (in choir); 6, 14, 19, 20
Berit Lindberg: harp; 2, 8, 10, 15
Satoko Berger: hurdy-gurdy; 4, 7, 9
Helena Cervin: vocal (in choir); 14
Göran Månsson's pipes are all made by Gunnar Stenmark, www.harjedalspipan.se
Many thanks to: my daughter Sofia, my father Ingemar for unvaluable
practical help at the recording procedure, and my fellow musicians for
their generous artistic contribution.
© 2006 by MUSICA REDIVIVA
MRCD-015 MARIA
www.mrcd.nu