Sparks in the Dark - Medieval Vocal Music

Ensemble "Contre le Temps" (F)
Julia Marty, Cécile Walch, Amy Farnell and Karin Weston

In the 13th century, the cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris stood at the heart of a flourishing musical revolution. The polyphony that emerged there captivates with its beauty and incantatory sound, revealing both the mystical and the passionate sides of medieval spirituality. Preserved in just a handful of precious manuscripts, these works still astonish today with their freshness and inventiveness. Ensemble "Contre le Temps" brings this repertoire back to life in the acoustics of Otterberg Abbey Church.

Among the pieces performed is the monumental Viderunt omnes - one of the earliest four-voice compositions, whose interwoven melodic patterns generate an ecstatic, trance-like atmosphere. True to the Notre-Dame tradition - where the line between composer and performer was fluid - the singers of Contre le Temps weave their own improvisations into the music, embodying a spirit of creative exploration.

The all-female vocal ensemble Contre le Temps, specialising in medieval music, was founded in 2021 after the four singers completed their studies together at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. The musicians span genres from the 11th to the 16th century, combining personal musical insight with scholarly knowledge of the historical sources.