The Bæbes's first album, Salva Nos (1997), shot straight to No 2 in the classical charts, a silver disc. Subsequent albums include Worldes Blysse (which went straight to No 1), Undrentide, (co-produced by John Cale), The Rose, and the Christmas-themed album Mistletoe & Wine.
Mirabilis (2005), was launched at a concert and party in London, August 2005. A self-titled DVD was released in July 2006. The first 300 preorders were autographed by the band and received a special mention in the DVD credits.
A live album was be released in December 2006 and featured two bonus studio tracks, An Itunes exclusive was also launched which added tracks not featured on the cd release and at this time still remain exclusive so is well worth tracking down.
The new album entitled Illumination was released via preorder on the bands website in Oct 2008 and as an added incentive to fans features two bonus tracks not included on the regular wholesale edition which has a Spring 2009 official release date. There has been concerns over the mastering of the album from fans which could account for the delayed release dates.
Each album features traditional medieval songs and poetry set to music, mostly arranged by Blake specifically for the ensemble, alongside varying numbers of original compositions. They sing in a variety of languages, including Latin, Middle English, French, Italian, Russian, Middle High German, Welsh, Irish Gaelic, modern English, Swedish and the nearly extinct Cornish. Their vocals are backed by medieval instruments, including the recorder and cittern, played by the singers or fellow musicians.
One of the group's founding musicians, Dorothy Carter, died of a stroke in 2003 at the age of 68. In addition to playing autoharp, hurdy gurdy, and dulcimer with the group, she performed the lead vocals on So Spricht Das Leben (Worldes Blysse) and L'Amour de Moi (The Rose).
Emily Ovenden, who sings with the group, is the daughter of artist Graham Ovenden.
The Bæbes' musical pieces run the gamut from extremely traditional, such as their version of The Coventry Carol on Salva Nos, to songs that feel traditional but are much more modern, such as their rendition of Summerisle, a song written for Robin Hardy's 1973 cult film Wicker Man. John Cale added non-medieval instruments, including saxophone and electric guitar, to some of the arrangements on Undrentide, although with subsequent albums the band returned to more traditional instruments. Even with these instruments, however, the band's current style is quite different from medieval authentic performance groups, as it displays significant modern influence.
Current Band Members:
Katharine Blake (Contralto, Recorders, Violin, Piano), Emily Ovenden (Soprano, Recorders, Concertina, Percussion), Ester Dee (Soprano), Claire Rabbitt (Contralto, Piano), Bev Lee Harling (Alto, Violin, Citern, Recorders, Guitar), Melpomeni Kermanidou (Mezzo Soprano, Piano)
former Band Members:
Dorothy Carter, Karen Lupton, Nicole Frobusch, Nichole Sleet, Carmen Schneider, Claire Ravel, Ruth Galloway, Teresa Casella, Rachel Van Ash, Audrey Evans, Marie Findley, Cylindra Sapphire, Sophie Evans, Maple Bee, Sofia Escobar, Maxine Fone
Official website: www.mediaevalbaebes.com
All Turns to Yesterday
Mediæval Bæbes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That children hath by candle light
Her shadewe on the wal iseen
And ronne therafter all the night
Bisy aboute they han ben
To catchen it with all here might
And whom they catchen it best wolde wene
The shadewe catchen they ne might
For no lines that they couthe lay
This shadewe I may likne aright
To this world and yesterday
Bisy aboute they han ben
To catchen it with all here might
And whom they catchen it best wolde wene
Sannest it shet out of her sight
The shadewe catchen they ne might
For no lines that they couthe lay
This shadewe I may likne aright
To this world and yesterday
***
The lyrics of Mediæval Bæbes's song "All Turns to Yesterday" are full of poetic imagery and symbolism. The song seems to be about the passage of time and how we cannot hold onto or capture it, much like the children in the first verse who try to catch the shadow of a candle on the wall. The children are busy trying to catch the shadow with all their might but they cannot seem to catch it, no matter how hard they try. The shadow is like the world and yesterday, it is fleeting and cannot be held onto or captured.
The song also seems to speak to the transience of life and the inevitability of change. The chorus repeats the same lines, emphasizing how the children could not catch the shadow no matter how hard they tried. This repetition feels almost like a lament, a reminder that we cannot control time or prevent change from happening. The shadewe is a symbol for all that we cannot hold onto or change.
The haunting melody of the song, along with the use of medieval instruments and harmonies, creates a sense of nostalgia and longing. The lyrics and music work together to create a beautiful and thought-provoking piece of art.
Line by Line Meaning
I have wist, sin I couthe meen
Ever since I can remember, I have known
That children hath by candle light
That children, by candlelight
Her shadewe on the wal iseen
Have seen their shadow on the wall
And ronne therafter all the night
And chased it all night long
Bisy aboute they han ben
Busy, they have been
To catchen it with all here might
Trying to catch it with all their might
And whom they catchen it best wolde wene
And whoever catches it thinks they have succeeded the most
Sannest it shet out of her sight
Yet it slips out of sight
The shadewe catchen they ne might
They could not catch the shadow
For no lines that they couthe lay
No matter what tricks they tried
This shadewe I may likne aright
This shadow I may rightly compare
To this world and yesterday
To the fleeting nature of life and the past
Contributed by Isabella L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.