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
The Sour Grove
Mediæval Bæbes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sêm fach, len ar gont wen wiw
Lleiniau mewn man ymannerch
Y llwyn sur, llawn yw o serch
Fforest falch iawn, ddawn ddifrog
Ffris ffraill, ffwrwr dwygaill deg
Breisglwyn merch, drud annerch dro
Berth addwyn, Duw'n borth iddo
The Mediæval Bæbes' song The Sour Grove features the Welsh language and has a mesmeric tune that transports the listener to the medieval times. Sawden awdl, sidan ydiw seems to translate to 'Let us sing a song, it is silk'. The following verse Sêm fach, len ar gont wen wiw can be interpreted as 'Small sprouts, a fair seam on white silk'. It's fair to assume that the lyrics are poetic and symbolic rather than having a literal meaning. The song describes a beautiful grove, where love is in abundance, and the forest is filled with joy and beauty.
Lleiniau mewn man ymannerch means 'lines of verse in a manner of speech', an apt description of a song. The llwyn sur, llawn yw o serch (the sour grove, full of love) seems to be the center of the song. The forest is described as falch iawn, ddawn ddifrog, meaning 'very proud and gifted forest', which could be referenced to its beauty and abundance of life. The song then talks about a woman- Breisglwyn merch, drud annerch dro. The phrase roughly translates to 'having the expensive greeting of a lady from Breisglwyn'. The woman is described as addwyn (lovely) and bert (beautiful). The last sentence- Berth addwyn, Duw'n borth iddo means 'God is a refuge for a beautiful lady', which is an appropriate conclusion to a song filled with love.
Line by Line Meaning
Sawden awdl, sidan ydiw
A poem is being recited, using a smooth, silky voice
Sêm fach, len ar gont wen wiw
A small harp is playing a melody, adorned with a beautiful, snowy white ribbon
Lleiniau mewn man ymannerch
The strings are being plucked in a skilled manner
Y llwyn sur, llawn yw o serch
This sour grove is filled with love and tenderness
Fforest falch iawn, ddawn ddifrog
The proud forest is full of fresh, budding talent
Ffris ffraill, ffwrwr dwygaill deg
The tender breeze blows through the oak trees, with their two branches swaying gracefully
Breisglwyn merch, drud annerch dro
A bright and shining girl, with expensive clothing and a noble expression
Berth addwyn, Duw'n borth iddo
A splendid beauty, a gift from God
Contributed by William L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.