Search - Anne-Marie Deschamps, Ensemble Venance Fortunat :: Cluny - the Transfiguration: Chants of Pierre the Venerable

Pierre the Venerable was one of the most remarkable men in 12th-century Europe: he was abbot of Cluny (France), the most influential monastery of its day; he sheltered Peter Abelard after the Pope condemned Abelard's teachings; he had the Koran translated into Latin; he defended Jews from persecution. On top of all this, he was a fine composer. The enterprising French ensemble Venance Fortunat performs here Pierre's hymns for the Feast of the Transfiguration. Director Anne-Marie Deschamps uses only unaccompanied voices, generally solo or in unison (occasionally with a drone), without rhythmic pulse but with careful attention paid to long-versus-short note values--in effect, the long notes of basic chant melodies are embellished with Pierre's quick, almost improvisatory ornaments. The impression created by the music and text (and magnified by the extraordinary "Clunisian" acoustic in which the recording was made) is one of intense, rhapsodic devotion--somewhat reminiscent of Hildegard of Bingen, though without her extravagant metaphor and wide vocal ranges. Deschamps and her musicians deserve high praise for finding this music and performing it so sympathetically. --Matthew Westphal