Filia Sion: Vox Clamantis & Jean-Eik Tulve

Drawing upon the rich tradition in music history on the theme of “Filia Sion”, Vox Clamantis presents medieval music from Gregorian chant to works by Perotinus, Hildegard von Bingen and Petrus Wilhelmi de Grudencz. In the Old Testament, Filia Sion - the Daughter of Zion - refers to both the holy city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people who built the Temple on Mount Zion. In medieval Christian tradition, Holy Mary became the incarnation of the Daughter of Zion as the personification of the church.

The Estonian ensemble Vox Clamantis, formed in 1996, brings together singers, composers, instrumentalists and conductors who share an interest in Gregorian chant as the basis of all European art music. The group often sings this repertoire, but also performs contemporary music. Many Estonian composers, including Arvo Pärt and Erkki-Sven Tüür, have written pieces for them. Their interpretation of medieval music is never purely ‘historical’: while always remaining true to the spirit of this repertoire, the approach to the work and the selection of pieces is contemporary.

Under the directorship of choirmaster Jaan-Eik Tulve, the ensemble has worked with many international musicians, such as the organists Jean Boyer, Werner Jacob, Jon Laukvik, the Catalan soprano Arianna Savall, the French pianists Brigitte Engerer and Jean-Claude Pennetier, the Cello Octet Amsterdam, the early music group Hortus Musicus, the contemporary group NYYD Ensemble, and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir. They have previously been heard on ECM on Tüür’s Oxymoron (4765778) and Helena Tulve’s Lijnen (4766389) and will soon be heard on a new recording of music by Arvo Pärt.