Wings of Wisdom

Hildegard von Bingen (Composer), Inchcolm Antiphoner Anonymous (Composer), Canty (Performer), William Taylor (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Canty
• Orchestra: William Taylor
• Composer: Hildegard von Bingen, Inchcolm Antiphoner Anonymous
• Audio CD (June 5, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dorian Recordings
• ASIN: B00005JI4O
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #403,839 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Scotland and the Rhineland, besides being ancestral homelands of the Celts, share a spiritual heritage from the wandering Irish holy men who took Christianity to some of the most obscure corners of Europe. In Scotland's case the missionary concerned was the celebrated St Columba, a saint much honoured in his own lifetime and ever since. The man who evangelised the pagan tribes of the Rhineland, however, remains much more of a mystery. That peripatetic priest was St Disibod, an Irish bishop whose life and works have been recorded for posterity solely by the pen of the remarkable Abbess Hildegard of Bingen who entered the religious life, enclosed with the anchoress Jutta in the walls of the Benedictine monastery of Disibodenburg, dedicated to that same, now obscure, Irish saint. - Rebecca Taverner © 2001 Performers: Libby Crabtree, Mezzo-soprano Ruth Dean, Soprano Anne Lewis,

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Generally well done, May 16, 2009

By 

Claude Greenmount "semper ubi sub ubi!" (The Universe) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wings of Wisdom (Audio CD)

I bought this item mainly for the selections from the "Inchcolm Antiphoner," a collection of chants used at Inchcolm (Scotland). They are among the very few preserved examples of so-called "Gallic chant," although beyond the texts, several of which are for the Feast of St Colomba, it is difficult to say what would mark these off as particularly Gallic (as opposed to continental or Sarum chant).
The performances are good and not laden with gimmickry, as so often happens in recordings of ancient music from Celtic cultures. The voices are clear, lovely, bright, intonation is good, and instrumental accompaniment thoughtfully used. Although it is impossible to say exactly how this music was performed at the time of its creation and general use, the choices made by the ensemble are grounded in research into the general performing traditions of the time (information is sparse, but does exist).
The bulk of the recording is taken up by music of Hildegard von Bingen whose music is well enough known by chant afficionados to need no comment from me here, save to say they are also well rendered and beautifully sung.
This is a chant collection worth adding to your collection, for the inclusion of the unusual Inchcolm pieces and for the fine performances. A fine way to relax at the end of a long day, but vital enough to engage the interest of the casual or scholarly listener.