Mediæval Bæbes

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Mediæval Bæbes (2005)

The Mediæval Bæbes are a British ensemble of interpreters of medieval music . The group was founded in 1996 by Katharine Blake . The line-up usually rotates from album to album, with the number of singers ranging from 6 to 12.

Career

The group sings both traditional songs and self-composed pieces. In addition, there are special musical arrangements of poetry on each record .

The singing is in several languages, including Middle English , Latin , Gaelic , French , Cornish , Welsh , Middle High German and Italian . They are usually accompanied by a recorder , violin , drums , tambourine and cister . Occasionally, the saxophone and electric guitar are also used.

In 1997, her debut album Salva Nos entered the classic charts at number 2, and more albums followed. In 2006 they wrote the theme music for a BBC drama called The Virgin Queen about Elizabeth I and performed the theme music for the 2016 TV series Victoria about Queen Victoria .

As their influences, the group names itself along with other Dead Can Dance , Nick Cave , Hildegard von Bingen , Kate Bush , Led Zeppelin and Hieronymus Bosch .

Current band members: Katharine Blake (contralto, flute, violin, piano), Emily Ovenden (soprano, flute, concertina, percussion), Ester Dee (soprano), Claire Rabbitt (contralto, piano), Bev Lee Harling (alto, violin, zither , Flute, guitar), Melpomeni Kermanidou (mezzo-soprano, piano), Kathleen Ross (viola da gamba, vocals).

Discography

  • Salva Nos (1997, UK: silversilver)
  • Worldes Blysse (1998)
  • The Best of the Mediaeval Baebes (1999)
  • Undrentide (2001)
  • The Rose (2002)
  • Mistletoe and Wine (2003)
  • Mirabilis (2005)
  • Mediæval Bæbes (DVD, 2006)
  • Mediæval Bæbes (Live 2006, only available on the band's website and at concerts)
  • The Virgin Queen (2007, soundtrack for the BBC series of the same name)
  • Illumination (2008)
  • Miracle - EP (2008, extracted from Illumination + 2 new tracks)
  • The Huntress (2012)
  • Of Kings & Angels (2013, interpretations of selected Christmas carols)

swell

  1. ↑ Awards for Music Sales: UK (search for Mediaeval Baebes )

Web links

Commons : Mediæval Bæbes  - collection of images, videos and audio files