Day 144: Mediæval Bæbes – Salva Nos
I’ve spent the day in some corners of YouTube that led me to wondering if there are any good recordings of surviving medieval music, and with a bit of googling I discovered Mediæval Bæbes. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like, some babes getting together to do medieval tunes. Couldn’t be more excited, already love it on principle, let’s go.
Album cover courtesy of Virgin Records
The band was formed in 1996 by Katharine Blake, a musical director, composer and producer, and she was joined by 12 other women. Blake was the only person in the group with professional singing experience, with some of them previously having only sung in the bath, but fairly swiftly after starting, they realised that they’ve got something good.
After its release in 1997, their debut album Salva Nos spent three months in the UK Classical Top Ten. Of course, the Very Serious Men who are the gatekeepers of art and culture hated what the Bæbes were doing and thought it cheapened classical music, with one opera singer opining that they are “Gregorian Babes going round in cheap Janet Reger [lingerie brand] knock-offs. It's pathetic.” Not even real Janer Reger, good heavens!
They were also causing controversy in churches because they were accused of being pagans and practicing witchcraft, with one church performance in Rochester featuring two church officials standing at the side of the stage ready to spring into action in case any of the ladies take their clothes off – so quaint, dare I say, so medieval! And the Independent covered their 2013 tour with possibly one of the greatest musician-related headlines of all time:
Mediaeval Baebes to tour England's cathedrals amid unease over their 'sexy' image. The singers insist that they aren't a Satanic cult.
I think this is what Megan Thee Stallion meant when she was talking about doing hot girl shit. I’m big on immersive history and everyday details, like thinking about how things smelled or hearing what things sounded like, so bangers of yore is right up my street. Unharmed by the fact that Blake was the only person in the group who had any professional singing experience, the harmonising is beautiful. And Blake was the one who arranged most of the poetry and texts to music, which is sang in a variety of different languages, which in itself is very impressive.
I enjoy the vocalising but I enjoy the instrumentals, “So Treiben Wir Den Winter Aus“ and “Binnorie O Binnorie”, even more. I also very much like that even in these modern times, you can be considered so sexy that there’s a general sense of unease among the church and/or townspeople. It’s a fun album, I’m keen to dive a little deeper into modern renditions of musical history. 8/10.