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Short History, Discography & Links

History

Once upon a time, not so long ago, a group of girls - friends and acquaintances - bound by a common taste for drinking and pleasure-seeking, decided to focus their fun by gathering regularly to sing songs from a time long gone. They playfully called themselves the MEDIAEVAL BAEBES.

The Mediaeval era is particularly fascinating because the poverty of the times produced an ironically rich and vibrant age with a wealth of imagery we still draw upon. In the middle ages there was an attempt to transcend one's bleak existence not only through the idealism of courtly love and the noble traditions of the knight but also through the practice of ritual and religious devotion. Mediaeval man was intrinsically linked to nature - a person's fortunes would fluctuate with the seasons - a harmonious coexistence had developed, with respect for the Earth as the consequence. The appreciation of nature was reminiscent of earlier Pagan mysticism but by the Middle Ages Paganism had been superceded by Christianity.

Dedication to Christian principles brought about the belief in Heaven and Hell which swathed Mediaeval life in self-sacrifice and a hitherto unseen religious fervour. The brutality of life in the Middle ages gave mankind an impending sense of mortality. It is the imminent presence of death, however, that created a need for spiritual fulfilment that, in turn, gave people a reason to live. In comparison, ours is a comfortable, almost somnolent existence. We live in a supposed age of enlightenment where the supremacy of science and technology go unquestioned. The deference to scientific advancement has created a blind conceit that man can conquer all. Subsequently, we live in a godless world with a palpable spiritual deficiency.

Is it any wonder that so many of us are looking to the past for inspiration and a new direction? The MEDIAEVAL BAEBES, far from being a group of women who sing songs that are no longer relevant, are actually distinctly contemporary because they are reviving music that unconsciously captures the retrograde mood of our times. The Baebes take a pilgrimage to another world - they have embarked upon a quest to reclaim the spiritual ecstasy, the romance and the magic of the past. Their music invites you to join them.

The rediscovery of Mediaeval music is not unique to the Baebes but their attitude towards it perhaps is. Nine beautiful women with a provocative sense of humour and a pronounced sense of fun are not going to come quietly. The Baebes are not bound by an obsession with authenticity and historical accuracy - theirs is a more spirited response. Although the Baebes do sing traditional Mediaeval material the majority of their songs, to their credit, are original compositions - Mediaeval poems set to music in their own inimitable Mediaeval style. The MEDIAEVAL BAEBES have a deep respect for the music that they sing but their style is one of flagrant indulgence in the imagination. And if there is any truth in the accusations of witchcraft, that the Baebes are sometimes slow to deny, it is that the Baebes have an ability to turn fantasy into reality: they will take a piece of Mediaeval text and, undaunted by the fact that there are no musical notations to accompany the text, allow it to suggest a mood, a story, a sentiment - this is then translated into song. These evocative interpretations may not be authentic in the traditional sense but they accurately encapsulate the passion and pageantry of the Mediaeval age and somehow seem to unlock unconscious memories in us all, of a world where we once lived.

Fortunately, the Baebes have managed to turn their fantasy into a commercial reality as well as a creative one. Their first album Salva Nos was the fastest selling debut album on Virgin's classical label, Venture; it was a silver album within weeks of its release. Their second album Worldes Blysse went straight to the top of the British classical charts. Their third album Undrentide drew in the ambitious designs of The Velvet Underground's John Cale as producer. The album featured DELERIUM’s “Aria”, with vocals by the Baebes, also found on DELERIUM’s album “Poem”.

Their latest album The Rose is honestly more incredible than all three. The MEDIAEVAL BAEBES sing in several different languages including Latin, Middle English, Mediaeval French, German and Italian, with their new work they introduce Mediaeval Welsh and even Russian to their repertoire. The singers boast eight different nationalities between them - this is particularly useful for the Baebes have successfully toured in Britain, Europe, Canada and the States with at least one member being able to speak fluently in almost every country they have been to. Their music continues to enchant and overwhelm atheists and active believers alike; their voices have illuminated churches and Cathedrals worldwide; and they have performed in prestigious places like the Royal Albert Hall and Louis XIVth's chapel at Fontainebleau as well as more unsavoury and unlikely venues - old prisons, asylums and crumbling rock clubs. Their work has crossed over to the Main stage at Glastonbury and a Baebes track was recently sampled by the highly acclaimed dance act DELERIUM. The MEDIAEVAL BAEBES have composed music for film, notably "American Psycho" and Ken Russell's "The Fall of the Louse of Usher".

All nine MEDIAEVAL BAEBES, as opposed to the original twelve, have become more focused and stronger than ever. Katharine Blake, founder of the Baebes and musical director, is still the principal composer. Dorothy Carter, instrumentalist, and Ruth Galloway, another founding member, act as the chief adaptors of traditional Mediaeval music. But the rest of the Baebes are currently adding to the diversity of the sound by continuing to create, or creating for the first time, their own material. The more compact version of the MEDIAEVAL BAEBES has allowed each singer to explore their own identity within the composite whole and you can actually hear the confidence in the ability of the individual. Despite their accomplishments, the girls are amazingly humble. Perhaps their songs that warn against vanity and taking pride in one's achievements - for they are useless in the grave - have some pertinent meaning for them.

(Source: Nettwerk America - 2002)

Discography

MISELTOE & WINE (CD)
Holly & The Ivy - Gaudete - Amour De Moi - Salva Nos - Glass Window - There Is No Rose Of Swych Vertu - Kinderly - In Dulce Jubilo - Love Me Broughte - I Am Eve - Quan Vey la Lauzeta - Coventry Carol - Undrentide - Ecce Mundi Gaudium - Blow Northern Wind

Links

Official THE MEDIAEVAL BAEBES site