Medieval music was one of my earliest passions. As a kid I listened over and over again to an old Archiv recording of Machaut’s “Messe de Notre Dame” which struck me as so strange and beautiful. It’s amazing to me now that I have found 5 other women who want to sing the same music with me. Schola Magdalena has been singing Gregorian chant and medieval polyphony together now for 5 years, and this Saturday we are launching our second recording “Virgo Splendens.” The CD contains the four Marian Anthems for the liturgical year, chants by Hildegard von Bingen and a fantastic early English setting of the Magnificat. The cover image of the CD is taken from an icon in the Church of St. Magdalene in Toronto. It’s a very small painting, but has a fascinating history. It was painted by a member of the Russian royal family who lived in an apartment above a shop, only blocks away from the church.
Our launch Saturday night (7:30 at the Church of St. Mary Magadalene, Toronto) promises to be a wonderful get-together of friends new and old. Ben Grossman joins us to play hurdy-gurdy. Admission is free and we have a very nice party planned for afterwards!