Post tenebras (spero lucem) – after the darkness, I hope for light – perfectly encapsulates Ensemble Irini’s intentions for this programme: a return to the early days of the Venetian and Byzantine Baroque in an unusual, two-choir setting with brass instruments: grand, spatial and deeply spiritual. On one side of the spectrum is Giovanni Gabrieli, the master of polychorality, at St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. His Sacrae cantiones think in terms of space, with choirs of voices and instruments as his building blocks. On the other side are the virtuoso, contemplative hymns of Konstantinos of Aghialos and Joasaph of Mount Athos, in which time becomes music and music becomes time. Post Tenebras marks a new stage in Irini Ensemble’s musical journey, but their unique sound remains pristine: warm, dark, polymorphous and free from early music stereotypes.
Program
Double-choir motets by G. Gabrieli | Hymns by K. van Aghialos & J. van Athos
Performers
Sarah Verrees, Erjan Van Der Velde, Fanny Chatelain, Hélène Fauchère, alto | Olivier Merlin, Antoine Ageorges, Noé Rollet, Damien Rivière, tenor | Jean-Marc Vié, Benjamin Locher, Valentin Jannsen, Sébastian Brohier, bass | Sandie Griot, Solveig Rousse, Olivier Dubois, Clémentine Serpinet, saqueboute | Lila Hajosi, artistic director