column
by Genevieve Williams
Spring has sprung! Actually, I'm pretty sure it
sprang sometime in February, and I hear that southern
Of all the mystical, spiritual and religious figures of Western history and culture, few hold quite the fascination of Hildegard von Bingen. The twelfth-century German abbess, an extraordinary person in just about every conceivable way, might well be considered so even today. Just a few of her many accomplishments include a series of writings on mystical visions -- to which she had been subject since she was a child -- as well as treatises on nature and medicine; a political and ecclesiastical influence almost unheard of for a woman in the Church; and, of course, her music, for which she is chiefly remembered.
It's fitting, then, that Hildegard's music should be presented by Anonymous 4, a group of female vocalists who have brought women's sacred music in general and that of Hildegard von Bingen in particular, into the spotlight. Though they have expanded into various folk and other repertories in recent years, they are chiefly known for their early music performances. On The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen (Harmonia Mundi), they shine -- almost literally: their voices have a glowing quality that comes through even the imperfect medium of the CD or hard drive. As well as Hildegard's music, the CD also includes several texts of her visions set to music, and these extraordinary works are set side by side with the plainer, more conventional chants of the day, highlighting their remarkable and unusual invention and creativity.
The music of Hildegard von Bingen reaches across historical, cultural and religious lines because, in itself and in its inspiration, it asks an important question regarding the nature of religious ecstasy: Where does it truly come from? Is it a gift of the divine, in the many and myriad ways this is given expression and approbation? Or, as has sometimes been suggested, did Hildegard suffer from migraines or some other condition? That, though, is a modern suggestion from a modern era. We know very well what Hildegard believed, for we have her music and writings to tell us. Both are articulated to excellent advantage here.
Almost two years ago, I introduced Earth Tones listeners to Savina Yannatou, the Greek vocalist whose Terra Nostra marked her debut on ECM in 2003. Now she follows up with Sumiglia, a studio recording also on ECM. With Sumiglia, Yannatou and her band, Primavera en Salonico, prove that the previous release was no fluke -- and that they have just as much energy, verve and creativity in the studio as they do in a live setting. Cutting a broad arc from Galicia, across the south and east of Europe and up as far north as the Ukraine, Yannatou and company tread that delicate, fine line between giving traditional songs a traditional interpretation and reinventing them in a way that exposes new, brilliant facets to the light.
This is a tricky business. One wants to be
respectful of the material, without performing it in a way that retreads old
ideas. Much of Yannatou's expressive energy comes from her ability to innovate
and find fresh life in old songs. Take the opening number, "Evga mana mou," a
Greek wedding song that attains new celebratory and invocatory power.
"Muiñeira," a Galician song, has a compelling rhythm and an aura of powerful
mystery -- and not in a comfortably new-agey sort of way. Yannatou is able to
challenge her listeners, while simultaneously inviting them in. Fans of Loreena
McKennitt will find a great deal to like here, though Yannatou isn't really
much like McKennitt beyond surface aesthetics. With a classically trained voice
and theatrical training at
A horse of many different colors is Shigeru Umebayashi's score for House of Flying Daggers (Sony Music Soundtrax), Zhang Yimou's follow-up to last summer's spectacular Hero. The score for that film was composed by Tan Dun and, corresponding to both that composer's style and the demands of the story, was an elegantly structured, finely crafted piece of work. The score for House has a similar taste for high drama, but in line with the more intimately slanted story, possesses a passionate sense that Tan Dun was careful to restrain in his score for Hero. Like Hero, House is set against a backdrop of a nation undergoing sweeping change, wherein the actions of the characters have political as well as personal significance, but the camera and the music are both more tightly focused. Put plainly, this score is drenched in romantic fervor; in fact, without it, much of the film's emotional impact would be lost in the swirling palette of colors that Zhang uses to operatic effect. Like the film, the score goes this way and that, closely following the characters' shifting loyalties and gradually revealed secrets, until it unfolds at the end in a stunning and unprecedented climax. (In fact, it reminds me a bit in tone and structure of Lee Holdridge's score for the Mists of Avalon miniseries from a few years back.) Most of the individual tracks do not stand very well on their own, but listeners looking for some compelling percussion for their own ritual mix CD or just to dance to are advised to skip directly to track 3. Titled "The Echo Game," the track echoes (if you'll pardon the expression) one of the film's most compelling scenes and contains a momentum and tension that is strangely laconic elsewhere.
If you're looking for something to
put spring in your step -- and what better time for it than Oestara? -- then Jorun Jogga (Run, Jorun, Run;
self-released), the second album from Norwegian fiddling sextet Majorstuen,
might just fit the bill. This ensemble, having made a splash in its native
Last, but certainly not least, comes an unusual
local effort: Eleusyve Productions, a local husband-and-wife duo, have, with
the assistance of several others, produced The Rite of Luna. The product
of three years' composition and recording, The Rite of Luna sets the
Aleister Crowley text to music in lavish style. Composer Jonah Sewell, who also
sings the part of Pan, has chosen an instrumentation and compositional style
that brings to mind the classic era of heavy metal, when the guitar still
played the occasional melodic riff, but before the rhythm section took on the
characteristics of automatic weapons fire. When you think about it, this is the
perfect setting for
Anyone familiar with Crowley's text, or with non-musical performances of the Rite, will no doubt agree that Sewell and company (including his wife, Melissa Holm, who sings the role of Cancer; three other principal singers and some backup vocalists, as well as a violin played by the woman taking the part of Luna and a couple of other instrumentalists, round out the cast) have set themselves an ambitious task. Indeed, from time to time, it threatens to overwhelm them. This is particularly true, unfortunately, of one of the earliest portions of the ritual; the very first track is so long that listeners unfamiliar with the Rite may grow restive. This is not the fault of the performers, who must of necessity give due weight to the text, and fortunately things soon pick up. As the Rite builds towards its climax, the music appropriately acquires greater momentum and drama, in exactly the same way as a rock opera.
In fact, listeners whose sole exposure to
The Rite of Luna will be available for sale
at Edge of the Circle Books in
Other great shows you should check out: Väsen at the Triple Door on April 14, and Rory Block at the same venue on April 19, www.thetripledoor.net for reservations and prices; Seattle's Town Hall presents Africa in America on April 16, see www.townhallseattle.org for information; bluesman Kelly Joe Phelps is at the Tractor Tavern on April 15; the University of Washington School of Music presents Music of Persia and Bali at Meany Hall on the UW campus, on April 26, see depts.washington.edu/meany/ for this and other events.
Finally, it's not a musical event, but since I'm helping out with it and it's a cool exhibit, I have to recommend Frankenstein: Possessing the Secrets of Nature, an exhibit at UW's Suzzallo Library. It's up until April 13, with a corresponding lecture and film series. More information is available at http://www.lib.washington.edu/ougl/exhibits/frankenstein/
Genevieve Williams is a
Copyright © 2006 by the article's author