My interest in early music has not only led me to a great many concerts, but also in recent months it has led me deep into the archives to seek rare early music manuscripts and attempt to perform them.
Brave readers might click through to watch my performance of this one (below).
A few weeks ago I uncovered a most unusual piece, which seems to originate from a lesser known order of monks known as the Litorean Order, in the late 13th or early 14th Century.
The Litorean Order is believed to have been established in the far western coastal fringes of civilisation…”beyond St David’s Cathedral” if that is possible – could they have meant Ireland?
Litoreans are said to have been young monks – not much more than boys in the main. The Litoreans were in a sense The Gesualdo Six of their day – I am writing this the day after seeing The Gesualdo Six, of course…
Fading: The Hour Is At Hand, The Gesualdo Six, St John’s Smith Square, 28 March 2018
…but I digress. Let us return to the canticle Deus Intellegit.
The canticle appears to be intended for use at Lauds on the third day of Easter. It is attributed to Brianus Filius Willelmi and Antonius Fraxinus, the latter seemingly a visiting monk – there is no record of him being a member of the Litorean order.
It is an astonishing canticle. Musically, it begins in the Lydian mode, but the piece modulates and includes touches that seem centuries ahead of its time.
This canticle is an entirely and utterly charming piece. In the hands of those Litorean monks (or indeed in the hands of modern expert performers) I imagine the canticle to sound heavenly. In my amateur hands it still sounds out of this world, but sadly not in that heavenly sense.
Canticle performed by Ged’s Virtual Throdkin. Soloist: Ged.
I am hoping that some of the Early Music Group readers can provide some more information and/or comments on this extraordinary piece. Click here for my performing transcription of the manuscript.
In any case, wishing a very happy Easter to all my friends and readers.