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Rating: Theater in church? What kind of thing is that? A review of some Boy Scout performance in some remote provincial chapel?
Has this guy gone crazy after just a month on Debaser? The answer is no, obviously.
In reality, we're talking about something very serious (no offense to the scouts), which has fundamental significance in music history, being the first cell of what will eventually become melodrama.
The Liturgical Drama or Sacred Representation is one of the natural evolutions of the Gregorian Chant from the Carolingian period which, through the flourishing of Tropes and Sequences, sees the birth of vocal enrichments, free introductions, and insertions (even of "vernacular" text) to the codified Chant. Essentially, the evolution of an unstoppable creative process that couldn't be contained.
Strictly pedagogical in nature, the Liturgical Drama had the dual purpose of allowing many to understand the mysteries of faith and of creating a unique participatory relationship between the cleric "actors" and the "faithful" audience.
Not many Dramas have reached us; among these is the Ludus Danielis, one of the few that deals with Old Testament topics. Written around 1140 by the Schola of Beauvais in France, it was commonly performed during the Christmas period (for the plot, refer to the suggested link).
The 2 editions of the Ludus published by foné and Christophorus are decidedly (and happily) at opposite ends under all points of view.
The foné edition by the New York's Ensemble for Early Music favors the historical-musical truthfulness of the representation. This fidelity to the text is evident not only in the use of ancient instruments or the arrangement of voices, but extends to the staging: the performers are firstly actors who "physically" live the music they reproduce, respecting the original message of the Ludus.
The performance by the New Yorkers, recorded in the Basilica of Santa Sabina in Rome, becomes a true "live" representation.
Thanks to the excellent sound capture (the CD in question is known in audiophile circles for its extreme authenticity and naturalness), it is possible to follow the performers' every movement: for example, just listen to the "Quarte Estampie real" that opens the first track. The entrance of the performers starts from the back left of the Church and ends in the foreground on the right, moving forward until they cross the center of the speakers.
Masterful in this edition is the use and capture of percussion, with timpani that hit the stomach, as in the entrance of Darious at court (track 7 - sample) or that of Daniel in the lions' den (t10).
Of a completely different kind is the interpretation by the German ensemble Estampie, with a decidedly more modern cut, almost "pop," in the sense of popular music.
Here the key element is rhythm: there are no indulgent musical introductions like in the foné edition but immediate action with the entry of Balthazar at court that almost echoes arrangements by Loreena McKennitt. The representation, therefore, is definitely more accessible but less felt and, perhaps, of lesser emotional impact.
The Christophorus studio recording, clean and correct but not comparable in terms of authenticity to that of foné, now highlights one aspect (the voices) now another (the instruments) of the reproduction, giving the sensation of some "artful" touch-ups.
Which edition to prefer? Choose the foné if you're interested in a traditional performance of Early Music or, simply, if you're looking for a CD (better yet, an SACD) to make your hi-fi system sound great. Opt for the Christophorus edition if, as an Early Music enthusiast, you're seeking an original and alternative interpretation. Also recommended for those wishing to cautiously approach this genre.
Both editions are, however, of excellent quality and represent two valid alternatives.
New York's Ensemble for Early Music, Frederick Renz (dir.), CD-SACD Stereo-SACD Surround, foné, 2004
Estampie, DDD, Christophorus, 1994
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