The Mediæval Bæbes is an English ensemble of female musicians founded by Mi… Read Full Bio ↴The Mediæval Bæbes is an English ensemble of female musicians founded by Miranda Sex Garden member Katharine Blake in London in 1996, featuring some of her MSG cohorts as well as other friends who share her love of medieval music. The lineup often rotates from album to album, and ranges from 6to 12 members.

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

Suscipe flos florem
Mediæval Bæbes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

take thou this rose o rose
since love’s own flower it is
and by that rose
thy lover captive is

smell thou this rose o rose
and know thyself as sweet
as dawn is sweet

look at this rose o rose
and looking laugh on me
and in thy laughter’s ring
the nightingale shall sing

kiss thou this rose o rose
that it may know
the scarlet of thy mouth

o rose this painted rose
is not the whole

who pains the flower
paints not its fragrant soul

Overall Meaning

In the song "Suscipe flos florem", Mediæval Bæbes sings about a rose as a token of love. The lyrics suggest that love is represented by the rose and the person offering the rose is giving themselves to the beloved. The first line "take thou this rose o rose" is an offering of the rose to the beloved as a symbol of love. The following lines "since love’s own flower it is, and by that rose thy lover captive is" suggests that the rose has the power to captivate the beloved's heart.

The second verse continues to describe the rose as the representation of the beloved. The line "smell thou this rose o rose, and know thyself as sweet as dawn is sweet" suggests that the beloved is as sweet as the fragrance of the rose. The third verse asks the beloved to laugh and look at the rose, and in doing so, the nightingale shall sing. This line implies that the beauty of the rose and the beloved's laughter will attract all forms of joy and beauty. The final verse asks the beloved to kiss the rose, enabling it to know the scarlet of their mouth. The last line of the song "o rose this painted rose is not the whole, who pains the flower paints not its fragrant soul" suggests that the true beauty and nature of the rose are not only in its appearance but also in its essence.

Line by Line Meaning

take thou this rose o rose
Accept this flower, oh flower

since love's own flower it is
As it represents the essence of love

and by that rose
Inspired by that same symbol

thy lover captive is
Love has taken your heart and ensnared it

smell thou this rose o rose
Take in the fragrance of this flower, oh flower

and know thyself as sweet
Understand that you too possess a sweet aroma

as dawn is sweet
Just like the sweetness of the sunrise

look at this rose o rose
Observe this flower, oh flower

and looking laugh on me
Laugh at me while you do so

and in thy laughter's ring
And within your laughter's sound

the nightingale shall sing
The nightingale will join in singing