Bookworm and lover of all things old and the countryside, yet still adores technology.
Bookworm and lover of all things old and the countryside, yet still adores technology.
Member since:10.10.2005
Reviews:19
You may or may not have heard of the Baebes. If you have, you may already know whether you like them or not, but if you haven't heard of them, you may be in for a treat.
The Mediaeval Baebes are a group of seven (at the last count, it changes from time to time), young women with Katherine Blake as the musical director.
Katherine is classically trained and it shows, but most of the others are musicians and vocalists without the classical training. This is good as i am pretty certain that there were very few vocal trainers for the people that originally sang this type of music.
The music in question varies between mediaeval Latin and Welsh, along with English spanning hundreds of years. There is even a song in Manx Gaelic and a cornish song. Some of the songs are very bawdy, such as dringo bell and ah si mon Moine. The latter is a song about a woman trying to get a man of the cloth to dance with her, but he is too pious (that means boring to me!). He wouldn't even take bribes off her and in the end, she consoles herself with the knowledge that if he wasn't so pious, she could have offered something else! I shall let you use your imagination.
The girls have been referred to as the thinking man's spice girls, but that is unfair, because these girls look and sound good and they have talent.
Other songs are about the magical world of Fairies. The more sombre subject of death and even Christmas music.
The DVD has a rendition of the Coventry Carol, which is beautiful, but a little at odds with a none Christmas album.
Instruments used are very varied and traditional, with Vielle, flutes, recorders, hurdy gurdy, cittern, guitar, ude and percussion used throughout. This should give you an idea as to what the girls are about.
The DVD was put together in front of an audience in what looks like a village hall or a chapel and the stage is adorned with candles and a gong. The dancing is simple but it is in keeping with the music.
For me, Pearl has to be the highlight, thanks to Katherines beautiful voice and the way in which the girls join the song in pairs, with the tempo increasing as the song progresses. I have always loved this song, but the Baebes have a diverse range of songs and everybody will have a different favourite.
I would say that the Baebes are unique in there vocal style, bringing a different kind of classical music to listeners.
This is what chamber music should be like, but not all of the songs are traditional, some of them are based on snippets of old stories and poetry, but they are all done with a mediaeval kind of feel.
I am not sure whether the DVD is available to buy in the shops, i ordered mine in advance from the website www.mediaevalbaebes.com and like many other fans, i have been rewarded with a signed copy before anybody else could get the DVD.
I am a great fan of the Baebes, but i appreciate that many of you will hate the Mediaeval style or you won't like classical music, we all have our own tastes, but if you have itunes on your PC, why not type in the Mediaeval Baebes and listen to snippets of their music to see what you think.
For fans that are curious about the track listing, i have listed them below and for £20 i feel that this is very good value for a very good compilation nd the chance to see the girls perform.
1) I am Eve 2) Return of the birds 3) Golden Bells 4) Ecce Mundi Gaudium 4) Lhiannan Shee 6) Glass Window 7) Undrentide 8) Miri It Is 9) There is no Rose of Swych Vertu 10) Come my sweet 11) The Sour Grove 12) O Nome Da Virgen Santa 13) Miseria Nomine 14) Erthe Upon Erthe 15) Coventry Carol 16) All for the love of one 17) Temptasyon 18) Ah Si Mon Moine 19) Tam Lin 20) How Death Comes 21) Pearl 22) Kinderley 23) Love me Broughte 24) Dringo Bell
This is the full listing and there are one or two new tracks. I hope that this helps you in deciding whether to buy or not. I think that it is well worth the money.
Pictures of Mediaeval Baebes DVD
Album cover
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