Les Trois Maries

Les Trois Maries

Artist: Ensemble Gilles Binchois
Item number: AG048
Category: Gregorian
Chant Type: Gregorian
Language: Latin
Label: Virgin/Veritas
Period: Medieval
Length: 67'00
Release date: 2000
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Price: $17.25 USD
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1. Exultet: Les trois Maries

2. La procession

3. La scene du marchand

4. La procession vers le tombeau

5. La rencontre avec les anges

6. Marie-Madeleine et Notre Seigneur

7. La resurrection revelee aux apotres

8. Introit trope

9. Kyrie trope

10. Alleluia

11. Offertoire

12. Pater trope

13. Communion tropee

14. Benedicamus trope


The featured work of this recording is the Easter drama of The Three Marys as it is transmitted in a manuscript from the Benedictine convent of Origny-Stainte-Benoîte in France. Liturgical dramas based on the Latin play ?Visitatio Sepulchri? were popular in the Middle Ages. In its simplest form, this drama portrays the three Marys going to the tomb of Jesus early Easter morning to anoint the body of Jesus. They are met at the tomb by an angel declaring that Jesus is not there, but has risen from the dead. Then after Mary Magdalene encounters the risen Christ personally, the three Marys go the apostles to recount the joyful events. To this basic skeleton, many imaginative details are added in different versions of the play, such as the one presented in this recording, where the three Marys haggle with a merchant to buy the ungents before their journey to the tomb. This version is also notable in that some of the dialogues with the merchant and the angels are in the vernacular, so that the work shifts back and forth between Latin and medieval French. This simple drama is sung throughout in a musical style similar to Gregorian chant. Formally this work is skillfully unified by musical devices such as the refrains that conclude sections of text by the chorus of Marys. Such plays were performed in the context of liturgy, often at the conclusion of a celebration of the Divine Office and before Mass, using various areas and furnishings of the church as the setting. This recording takes this context in account by preceding the drama with a performance of the Exultet (the ancient chant associated with the lighting of the Easter Candle during the celebration of the Easter Vigil), and following it with sections of the Mass for Easter Day. The Easter chants in this recording feature elaborate tropes (additions of texts and melodies to the traditional chants) from manuscripts of Laon and Nivers. Taken as a whole, this creates some of the experience of a medieval Easter celebration, as it might have been performed by a community of women in medieval France.

By: Joe Metzinger

The performance of Ensemble Giles Binchois under the direction of Dominique Vellard is fluent and convincing. Their interpretation of these works shows a sophistication in handling the complex melodic lines and projecting the dramatic nature of the texts. Except for the Exultet (which would have been normally chanted by a Deacon), and the lines of Jesus in the play, the entire recording consists of excellently blended female voices. The accompanying booklet contains notes in French and English, but the texts are translated only into modern French. Since the performers are working from widely available published sources for the most of the selections, those interested in the fine points of their interpretation might find this an interesting recoding to listen to while following the published music.