Percival’s Lament - Medieval
Music and the Holy Grail
Capilla Antigua de Chinchilla/José Ferrero
rec. Iglesia de San Julian, Chincilla de Montearagón, Albecete,
Spain
Texts available from the
Naxos
website.
Contents listings below
NAXOS 8.572800 [54.25]
This disc is a follow-up to the same
group’s Tristan’s Harp (Naxos 8.572784) which I have
not heard, except online, but which obviously uses aspects of the Arthurian
Romance tales as its catalyst. The Capilla Antigua de Chinchilla was
founded in 2002 and is based in Spain; indeed I heard them in Toledo
almost a decade ago. The director and inspirer is the tenor José
Ferrero and he is accompanied, as it were, by five others, both singers
and instrumentalists.
Tristan’s Harp came out only this year (2012) and consists
of songs and dances from the 13th century and earlier. These
are loosely based on the Tristan and Isolde legend. The new disc takes
the Holy Grail tale as its starting point and again uses pieces from
pan-European sources. We find German, French, Italian and English music
scattered across a workable and varied programme mixing texted songs
with purely instrumental pieces.
Amongst the composers listed is Chrétien de Troyes. This is something
of a puzzle. In her detailed and unbeatable book The Music of the
Troubadours (Indiana University Press 1996) Elizabeth Aubrey records
all of the trovères and troubadours of the 12th and
13th Century; Troyes is neither listed nor even mentioned.
In fact he left no melodies. That said, we know him as the greatest
writer of courtly romance in French during the second half of the twelfth
century. He worked for the highly musical Marie de Champagne and is
credited with stories like Erec and Enid and The Story of
the Grail about a strong-willed, often selfish and powerful figure
we know as Percival. The CD booklet does not tell us where these melodies
have come from; are they for instance contra-factum? One of them, Percival’s
Lament is played instrumentally. In fact Troyes never finished his
Story of the Grail. It ends mid-sentence and it is assumed that
he died suddenly at that point. Several later writers added their own
versions of a possible ending, most often quite convincingly. In truth
it is something of rambling narrative covering over one hundred pages
in the Penguin Edition. I read it of late and would like to say that
the recorded songs follow the story in some way. I fear it is not so,
but I can’t be sure because no texts are supplied - one must visit
their website.
I like the variety of sounds which Capilla Antigua de Chinchilla use.
There is a mezzo-soprano - Luisa Maesso - whose voice does not appeal
to me in this repertoire, a counter-tenor - Juan Francisco Sanz - and
Ferrero himself. The instruments include a psaltery, an Anglo-Saxon
lyre, a Darbuke or darabukka - a simple hand drum, a Bendir, a African
frame drum with no jingles but possessing a snare. There is a Gemshorn
used beautifully in Eschenbach’s Wolframs Goldener Ton
and the rather mysterious Tromba Marina used alongside an organetto
in Eschenbach’s Do man dem elden. Also there is what is
described as a Glastonbury Flute assembled from a stone carving found
at Glastonbury Abbey, a very appropriate idea in the context of Arthurian
legend. You may say that this is all a bit gimmicky and unauthentic
but who’s to say. I find it fun and it makes me want to return
to the disc.
It may seem odd that Hildegard of Bingen should appear alongside the
German Minnesänger and a medieval Estampie. One of pieces is entitled
Laus Trinitati, the other concerns love, Karitas habundat.
It should be recalled that the Arthurian knights often visited hallowed
places and heard sacred music at Mass. In contrast the story itself
also mentions dancing on many occasions so La Ultime Estampie Royale
is highly appropriate. In this recording the melody is orchestrated
as it were, between at least three melody instruments. The English song
Fowles in the Frith gets in to the fold. Booklet writer Ferrero
equates this with religious symbolism and with Christ’s Passion.
Of especial interest is Palästinalied that reminds us of
the crusaders’ discovery of the Holy Land in the awful wars in
the 13th century and of the beauty they found there.
There are the usual performer biographies and photographs in addition
to the useful if brief notes. The recording is immediate yet atmospheric.
It’s a pity that in all we have well short of an hour’s
music in this quite rarely heard repertoire.
Gary Higginson
Contents Listing
Tannhäuser (fl. mid 13th Century) Staeter
dienest, der is guot [5.25]
Wolfram von Eschenbach (fl.1170-1220) Wolfram’s
goldener Ton[2.30]; Was solein
keyser one recht? [4.03]; Do mandem
edelen sin gezelt[5.33]
Chrétien de Troyes (fl.1160-1190) D’amors,
qui ma’ tolu a moi [5.01]; Percival’s Lament[3.49]
Rigaut de Berbezilh (fl.c.1140-50) Altrassi com Persaveus el
temps que vivia [5.57]
Anon English (c.1270) Fowles in the frith [1.50]
Walther von der Vogelweide (c.1200) Under der linden [2.46];
Palästinalied [5.27]; Ich saz üf eime steine [2.36]
Anon French (13th Cent) La Ultime Estampie Royale
[3.43]
Hildegard von Bingen (d.1180) Karitas habundat [3.12]; Laus
Trinitati [2.32]
