Gregorian Chants

For nearly three decades, the vocal group Schola Cantorum Riga has been professionally and artistically performing the repertoire of early music, basing its interpretations on the study of the oldest neum manuscripts and dedicating a special role to Gregorian chant in its programmes. The ensemble's artistic director Guntars Prānis is an undisputed authority in early music, and his ensemble is one of the pioneers of this genre in Latvia. Founded in 1995, over time the group has developed into a multifaceted ensemble with a very wide and diverse repertoire and a rich concert experience not only in Latvia but also far beyond its borders. In the concert programme of the International Early Music Festival, which will resonate in the vaults of St. Peter's Church on the evening of July 12, the beautifully harmonised male voices will intertwine with the unique medieval instrument, the clavicymbalum, which will be played by Ieva Saliete, a laureate of the Grand Music Award, who is well-versed in the nuances of early music. Their focus will be on the musical codex of the Abbey of Saint Martial of Limoges, a rich and hitherto rarely performed repertoire. It is rooted in the first half of the 12th century and, even before the famous Notre-Dame School in Paris, marks the beginnings of early European polyphony. 

Programme

Medieval Limoges. Early polyphony. Voices and instruments

Participants

Vocal group Schola Cantorum Riga
Artistic director Guntars Prānis
Ieva Saliete, harpsichord