About the Recording
Formed through a mutual respect for medieval and renaissance repertoire, the members of gravitación embrace the understanding that early music has many possibilities for vocal color, poetic expressions, and connection with audiences. While historically informed, gravitación is committed to achieving meaningful music experiences for the modern time, combining scholarship, passion, and humor.

This program, entitled Elements recognizes the levels on which humanity is defined, combining science (Musicalis scientia/Sciencie Laudabili), nature (Una Panthera), the quest for heavenly inspiration (Orienti Oriens), and sacred fulfillment (O ignis spiritus, as well as the various Mass movements, and sacred motets by Compère and Moulu). These elements help to depict the complexity that makes us who we are. The program begins with a single monophonic line, composed by Hildegard von Bingen. Elements of tonality can be heard in various stages, from the homophonic ‘medieval’ sound of the Kyrie from the Messe de Tournai to the dramatic harmonic and melodic evolution demonstrated in the Ciconia’s Una Panthera. In Pange lingua one can immediately hear clean, sonorous harmonies, while the Agnus Dei from Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices exhibits the long lines and controlled dissonances found in the late Renaissance. Elements of science, nature, as well as celestial and sacred inspiration can be found not just in music, but also in art, poetry, dance and architecture of the medieval and renaissance periods and in this way our program aims to capture the spirit in which these works were conceived and performed.

Elements Program