Edinburgh’s historic Episcopal Cathedral, followed a day later by the Victorian capaciousness of Glasgow Evangelical Church, were imposing, atmospheric stages for the Idrîsî Ensemble’s Scottish debut.
Known for pioneering and fresh approaches to medieval performance, the six-member ensemble delivered a rich and remarkably engaging programme entitled Trinity & Quadrivium.
Using Hildegard of Bingen’s image of three unified wings – touching sky, earth, and spirit – the 90-minute concerts on 13 and 14 October were part of an eight-date short UK tour.
Each recital was brought to life by engaging spoken introductions from the six performers, who moved dynamically between different configurations with and without a grounding vielle (medieval viola).
The evening’s musical journey blended oral vernacular polyphony with intricate late medieval notation. A traditional microtonal Corsican Kyrie Eleison and Paghiella Orezzinca grounded the opening, beautifully paired with Baude Cordier’s circular-staved Tout par compas and Guillaume Du Fay’s proportional Nuper rosarum flores. The ensemble navigated notoriously complex rhythms with cool clarity, balanced by deep emotional resonance.
As the concert unfolded, unprogrammed bridging pieces – including a Greek-style call-and-response – led into secular fourteenth-century gems like Jacob de Senleches’s La harpe de mélodie and the anonymous S’on me regarde. The singers embraced the cross-rhythms with delicious harmonic precision.
The final movement of the recital explored daring fourteenth-century dissonances. Beginning with the sturdy rhythm of Congaudeant Catholici, the ensemble pushed into disorienting, dark territory with Johannes Ciconia’s Le ray au soleyl and Solage’s entertaining Fumeux fume par fumée, using low vocal registers to mimic the poetic atmosphere of smoke.
Rounded off with a warmly-received encore of Guillaume de Machaut’s Ite, missa est, the evening was an unqualified triumph. Superb vocal standards, striking historical context, innovative presentation and a glowing atmosphere proved that ancient music can find vibrant new audiences today. This is definitely an ensemble to watch.
* More about the Idrîsî Ensemble, whose new CD is due next year, here: https://www.idrisiensemble.com/
* More about presenters Through the Noise (“live, global, classical music”): https://www.throughthenoise.co.uk
