How do we think about medieval love poetry? Is it about the adoration of ideals, too perfect to be contained in a single human being, or the excruciating lamentation of parting from your secret lover at dawn while the nightingale is still singing her song?
We propose to listen to these familiar concepts anew by placing them into a context not often associated with medieval societies or love poetry in general:
that of lovesickness as an actual medical condition which often requested the aid of a trained medical professional.
THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES — medieval ballads of the lover’s malady
is a programme of monophonic songs of the 12th and 13th centuries. It offers a cross-section of medieval love poetry as it could have been heard in diverse cultural establishments from across continental Europe, oscillating between aristocratic and clerical, courtly and urban.
It features poems in diverse languages of varying poetic and musical forms. Medieval vocal pieces are paired with newly reconstructed instrumental music which draws on the melodic material contained in sung pieces, thereby providing the listener with a commentary and an opportunity for extended reflection as well as offering a bed of aural contextualisation for the modal structures not so commonly heard in our time.
Jasmina Črnčič, voice, romanesque harp, direction
Valentina Bellanova, medieval recorders, bagpipe, symphonia, ney
Mojca Jerman, medieval fiddle
The program is approximately one hour long with a short intermission.