Vox Nostra

Bio:

VOX NOSTRA ist ein international besetztes Ensemble aus Berlin unter der Leitung von Burkard Wehner, das sich auf die Vokalmusik des Mittelalters spezialisiert hat. Aus den erhaltenen Kompositionen der frühen europäischen Kulturzentren - Klöster, Kathedralen und Höfen - formt VOX NOSTRA Konzertprogramme, die dem Zuhörer einen akustischen Einblick in die archaischen Klangwelten des Mittelalters ermöglicht. Über 1000 Jahre alte, tiefgründige Weisen der Gregorianischen Choräle sowie Gesänge aus der Wiege der Mehrstimmigkeit in Santiago de Compostella, St. Martial de Limoges und Notre-Dame de Paris erklingen in sinnvoll zusammengestellten Programmen. Die rituellen Abläufe der Messen und Stundengebete des Mittelalters und ihre inhärente Dramaturgie bestimmen Aufbau und Konzeption der Programme. So werden historisch und liturgisch relevante Formen wie Prozessionen, das Singen verborgen hinter einer Chorschranke und die besondere Beachtung der jeweiligen Raumakustik in den Konzerten berücksichtigt und tragen zu einer besonderen Erfahrung mit der Musik bei. Das Ensemble singt aus Kopien der Originalhandschriften nach den alten Notationsformen mit Neumen, Hufnägeln und Quadraten. Diese Form von Musikwissenschaft in der Praxis führt zu einer durchdachten Interpretation des umfangreichen mittelalterlichen Repertoires. Der Vokalklang des Ensembles ist obertonreich, die Tempi ruhig und fliessend. Die Musik lädt die Hörer ein zu Kontemplation und innerer Einkehr. VOX NOSTRA widmet sich ausserdem Kompositionen der Gegenwart, die mit Klangfarben und Mikrointervallen experimentieren und hat 2008 fünf Uraufführungen im Rahmen von Festivals für zeitgenössische Musik realisiert.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The vocal ensemble VOX NOSTRA, formed in 1999 by Burkard Wehner, interprets monophonic and polyphonic music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance from manuscripts dating from the 9th-16th centuries. The repertoire ranges from Gregorian chant to Italian lauds, from early polyphonic compositions from St. Martial (Aquitaine) and Notre-Dame (Paris) to the richly polyphonic compositions of the Renaissance. Concerts of chants from the Notre-Dame repertoire are best served by the format provided by the Mass, due to its interesting succession of traditional monophonic chorales and polyphonic compositions, such as the Kyrie eleison, Sanctus and Agnus Dei of the Ordinarium. Polyphonic settings of these chants, with significant extension of the texts (troping), were a feature of the early years of the cathedrals. The Gradual and Alleluia of the Proprium, whose content changes on each day of the church year, are elaborately decorated compositions - the elongated notes of the chorale underlying the winding, highly-ornamented upper voices (organum). The programme is supplemented by the appropriate processional songs (conductus), and by motets, which often feature two to three texts sung simultaneously in different languages. Polyphonic responses and settings of the Benedicamus Domino, which derive from the monastic hours, complete the programme of 12th and 13th century cathedral music. The practice of singing from copies of the original manuscripts, which is a special feature of the Ensemble, has quite specific consequences for the interpretation of the music. The old forms of notation - such as the neumatic notation of the chorale, the modal notation of the Notre-Dame organa, and mensural notation - employ a great number of symbols indicating that melodic ornamentation is to take place. In order to give this feature the emphasis it deserves, Ensemble VOX NOSTRA favours a slow, flowing style of performance in an appropriately restrained tempo. The vocal sound which results is rich in overtones, and filling the space entirely; it allows the archaic and pure intervals of this music to be fully appreciated , and ensures that the complex weaving of the individual voices is clearly audible. In addition to the original manuscripts, treatises on music from the 13th-16th centuries also provide information regarding tempo, ornamentation and the practice of solo performance of the chants. The form taken by the Ensemble itself is determined by the programme in question: for programmes of medieval vocal music, men and women sing separately, reflecting the historical context of the abbeys and fostering timbral variance through the alternation of male and female voices.

Member Since:

May 29, 2010