Codex Calixtinus
Chants for St. James
Since the legendary recovery of the bones of St. James in the 9th century, Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain developed into one of the most important pilgrimage sites of medieval Europe. Along with Jerusalem and Rome, Compostela was considered one of the three most important pilgrimage destinations of Western Christendom.
It attracted thousands of pilgrims from all over Europe, especially during its heyday in the 12th and 13th centuries, and gave rise to an extensive network of pilgrimage routes.
In the 12th century, a codex was compiled which, with Pope Calixtus II as the legendary author, contains accounts of the miracles and passion of St. James and a pilgrim's guide, as well as numerous chants for the liturgical celebrations of the Feast of St. James in Santiago de Compostela.
In addition to the monophonic chants, the polyphonic settings are especially important as one of the earliest witnesses to Western polyphony.
The special festivities of the feast of St. James demanded an unusually elaborate musical embellishment of the liturgy, which is evident in the polyphonic arrangement of the otherwise monophonic chant and in its expansion by so-called tropes.
Program:
Representative selection of monophonic and polyphonic chants for the Liturgy of the Hours and Mass.
6 singers + Symphonia
Larger church rooms
Performances
- Catholic Day, Basilica Wiblingen (2004)
- Hour of church music, Stiftskirche Stuttgart (2003)
- St. Peter, Bad Waldsee (2003)