Medieval Sacred Music: concert in St Andrews, featuring the replica Queen Mary harp

This concert was performed on Thursday 2nd June 2016, All Saints Church Hall, St Andrews, Scotland.

The harp is a replica of the medieval Scottish "Queen Mary" clarsach.

More info at http://www.simonchadwick.net/summer

Vir perfecte
“St Andrew, perfect man!” a hymn from the St Andrews Cathedral music book.

Caniad San Silin
12 geometrical variations from the ap Huw manuscript of medieval Welsh harp music

In Rama sonat gemitus
A political allegory on the murder of Thomas Beckett in 1170, from the St Andrews cathedral music book

Ibunt sancti
An early medieval chant associated with early Irish saints

Cainc Dafydd broffwyd
Song of David the prophet, from the Robert ap Huw manuscript

Salve splendor
Hymn to St. Columba, from the Inchcolm Abbey manuscript

The 13th century manuscript music book from the great cathedral in St Andrews is now kept in a German library, and so is little-known in its town of origin. It contains hundreds of internationally important compositions of medieval sacred music.

The medieval Scottish “Queen Mary” clàrsach has ecclesiastical symbolism in its decoration, and may have been originally commissioned for the abbots of Iona.

The isle of Inchcolm in the Firth of Forth, with its abbey dedicated to St Columba, was known as “the Iona of the East”. Its 14th century manuscript music book is kept in Edinburgh University Library.