Recorded in April 2022 in Lyon’s magnificent baroque chapel, Lycée Saint-Louis-Saint-Bruno, this new programme by the Céladon ensemble takes us back to 12th century Germany – the heart of the Middle Ages – where Minnesängers would sing their songs of love.
The two Céladon singers, Clara Coutouly (soprano) and Paulin Bündgen (countertenor/conductor), assume the role of the ‘German nightingales’ (the Minnesängers were sometimes referred to as such). The medieval lute, bowed fiddle, flute, and organetto colour the melancholic thoughts of Konrad von Würsburg, Bruder Wernher and Walther von der Vogelweide. These Minnesängers would later inspire Richard Wagner, who was enamoured with this medieval German world that he set to music in most of his operas.
This programme offers an overview of this intense period of creation, represented here by ten virtuoso singers. ‘Under der Linden’ (‘Under the Linden Trees’), which gives the album its name, is one of the most famous songs of the period and is likely based on a French model. In addition to their research into the style of interpretation, the two singers have done a thorough job of rendering the German language of that distant period, giving their performance extra depth. © François Hudry/Qobuz