This episode is dedicated to Medieval music for Easter. Featuring the liturgical drama ‘Visitatio Sepulcri’, which narrates the story of various women visiting the (empty) tomb of Jesus.
In the first segment, we will hear music reminiscent of the Easter procession in Paris during the 13th century. This includes alternating monophonic chants and polyphonic works in the then prevalent forms of conductus and organum.
Anonymous
1. “Hec dies” (organum)
Gregorian/anonymous
2. “Christus resurgens” (responsorium) – “Dicant nunc Iudei” (organum)
Gregorian
3. “Surrexit Dominus – Presta quesumus” (oratio)
Anonymous
4. “Hec est dies” (conductus)
5. “Resurgente Domino” (conductus)
Gregorian/anonymous
6. “Sedit angelus” (responsorium) – “Crucifixum” (organum)
Ensemble Grégorien de Notre-Dame de Paris conducted by Sylvain Dieudonné
(CD: “Surrexit Christus” – Hortus 073, 2009)
Anonymous (14th century)
7. “Visitatio Sepulcri” (with responsorial ‘Christus resurgens ex mortuis’ en prosa ‘Submersus iacet pharao’)
Clemencic Consort conducted by René Clemencic
(CD: “Mysterium Passionis et Resurrectionis Festum Sanctissim(a)e Pasch(a)e – Cividale XIV secolo” – Nuova Era 7054, 1992)
Anonymous (13th century)
8. “Mors vite propitia” (rondellus)
Ensemble Peregrina conducted by Agnieszka Budzyńska-Bennett
(CD: “Crux – Parisian Easter music from the 13th & 14th centuries” – Glossa GCD 922505, 2011)
additionally:
Baptiste Romain
9. Estampie II
Baptiste Romain, vedel
(CD: see 8)
Pictured above (detail): Resurrection du Christ, femmes au tombeau (painter: Fra Angelico)