Laude from 13th-Century Italy
The lauda was an important musical genre in the Middle Ages. Its origins can be traced back to the 13th century, and the tradition continued well into the 17th century. The songs developed out of the missionary work of religious orders, particularly the Dominicans an Franciscans, in regions such as Tuscany and Umbria. Music had long been regarded as a powerful means of spreading religious belief. Given the growing importance of the veneration of the Virgin Mary at the time, it is hardly surprising that many – perhaps even most – of the laude were dedicated to her.
In time, these songs became an integral part of the repertoire of Marian confraternities and the penitential processions of flagellants, who practised extreme forms of self-punishment by whipping themselves with various instruments. The life of Jesus was another central subject, from his birth to his Passion and Resurrection.
The music in this programme focuses on these events. All the laude date from the 13th century, when the genre was still in its early stages. Their particularly striking feature is their dramatic nature: different characters take turns speaking or singing in many of the pieces. They are believed to have originally been performed as staged scenes, something the musicians in this recording have sought to recreate as closely as possible.
The performances combine voices and instruments, reflecting historical accounts of the variety of instruments used in this repertoire. Some pieces are presented entirely instrumentally.
The first group of songs tells of the Annunciation and the birth of Jesus. The second turns to his suffering and Resurrection. The Passion sequence ends with a three-part setting of the Miserere mei, a piece preserved through oral tradition and still sung during Holy Week by members of the Confraternita del SS. Crocifisso (Confraternity of the Most Holy Crucifix) in Sessa Aurunca.
Playlist
Anonymous
- Salutiam divotamente
- Hec Medela (instrumental)
- Dal ciel venne messo novello
- Ave Domna (instrumental)
- Cristo è nato et humanato
- Ave Vergene (instrumental)
- Gloria in celo e pace ‘n terra
- Stella nuova ‘n fra la gente
- Iesu Christo Redemptore
- De la crudel morte de Christo
- Voi ch’amate lo Criatore
- Onne Homo ad alta voce
Traditional (Sessa Aurunca)
- Miserere di Sessa Aurunca
Anonymous
- Iesu Christo glorioso
I Cantori del Miserere di Sessa Aurunca, Concentus Lucensis, conducted by Stefano Albarello
CD: Laude sulla vita di Gesù – Canti drammatici delle Confraternite del XIII secolo (2006), Tactus TC 280001
Additional track
Anonymous
- Magdalena
Concentus Lucensis, conducted by Stefano Albarello
CD: see tracks 1–14
Image: Natività (Giotto di Bondone, ?–1337), michelangelobuonarrotietornato.com
