Step back in time to medieval Western Europe, where the Christmas season commenced on the feast of St. Nicholas, December 6th. From the 12th to 14th centuries, the grand cathedrals and monastic communities buzzed with activity, as choristers moved through city streets performing special para-liturgical songs, and churches hosted concerts filled with festive sound.
This evening, Yael Dushy, Agustina Morellato, Nadav Ovadia, and Danil Ryabchikov invite you to immerse yourselves in this forgotten world of sound. The programme draws directly from priceless manuscripts, discovered across diverse European regions such as Aquitaine, Sicily, Germany, and France. We will present a selection of conductus – both polyphonic and monophonic Latin songs predominantly from the 13th and 14th centuries – alongside their earlier forms, verses. Prepare also for rondelli, lively pieces once performed for dancing within churches and cathedrals – a fascinating custom that endured for centuries!
Experience the exceptional acoustics of the Abbey of the Dormition as the sublime voices of Yael Dushy and Agustina Morellato intertwine with the unique timbres of early instruments. Nadav Ovadia will grace us with the dulce melos and percussion, while Danil Ryabchikov will perform on the citole – – a profoundly medieval instrument that, to the best of our knowledge, has never before resonated in Israel!
Danil Ryabchikov, project director, is a distinguished performer and scholar of medieval music, authoring books, articles, lectures, and podcasts on the music of the 9th-14th centuries. He is the artistic director of the international early music festivals Musica Mensurata (Moscow, 2014-2021) and Tollite Portas (Kotor, Montenegro, from 2024), and leads the medieval ensembles Labyrinthus, Universalia in Re, and Medievallica. His ensembles have performed across France, Switzerland, Germany, Russia, and beyond.
Tickets will be available at the door prior to the concert. Prices are 100 and 60 NIS
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