Gothic Voices - Hildegard Von Bingen: A Feather On The Breath Of God (1982)

More music by 12th century abbess and polymath Hildegard Von Bingen (in this case the British record label anglicized her name, but I'm keeping the 'Von' just for consistency's sake) in a sublime, early full-digital recording that helped put the fledgling Hyperion Records on the map.  

 

The Gothic Voices ensemble are never featured en masse, but instead the album picks out small groups and soloists in a nice varied running order.  A few tracks also have underpinning drones, either from reeds or a symphony (an early hurdy-gurdy).  All of it presents Von Bingen's haunting compositions in gorgeous clarity, the album going on to win a Gramophone Award and firmly establishing Von Bingen in the public consciousness.

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Previously posted at SGTG: Antiphona

Katharina Lienhart & Christoph Maria Moosmann - Hildegard Von Bingen: Antiphona: Liturgie Für Gesang Und Orgel (1998)

Music based on compositions by Benedictine abbess Hildegard Von Bingen (c. 1098-1179), arranged for voice and organ by soprano Katharina Lienhart and organist Christoph Maria Moosmann, to mark 900 years since the (approximate) birth of the composer, visionary and polymath.  

 

Three lengthy tracks and three short ones make for a bewitching hour-plus of well-arranged atmospheric music, with slowly developing dynamics from the organ - if your hearing's as bad as mine, some passages are virtually inaudible unless cranked right up.  When they reach full crescendo though, the organ drones (occasionally bringing to mind organ work by Ligeti or Jarrett) and ghostly vocal sound incredible.  More Hildegard Von Bingen next week.

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