SAINTS INOUÏS (Astonishing Saints) Lost and found sacred songs of the 12th century ENSEMBLE SCHOLASTICA Rebecca Bain & Pascale Duhamel, direction ACD2 2804 With Saints inouïs, Ensemble Scholastica offers a unique exploration of medieval sacred music from the Creuse (France), a musical heritage dating back nearly a thousand years.   These distinctive songs were composed and sung for liturgies in honour of Saint Pardoux, Saint Yrieix, and the Conception of the Virgin.   Ensemble Scholastica is Canada's only female vocal ensemble specializing in the performance of medieval plainchant and polyphony from the 9th to the 14th centuries. The service for St.Yrieix is likely the oldest of those presented on this recording: the modal formulas and ranges are typical of the Gregorian repertoire of the great manuscripts of the 10th and 11th centuries.   The services for St.Pardulf and the Conception of the Virgin likely date from the 12th century, when liturgical chant had already distanced itself considerably from the earlier tradition. Founded in 2008 by musicologist Pascale Duhamel, Ensemble Scholastica is a group of talented and dedicated vocalists from Montréal's thriving early music community, some of whom also play medieval instruments.   Leading medievalist Rebecca Bain has directed the ensemble since 2012.       Fête de la Conception de la Vierge / Feast of the Conception of the Virgin   1. Salve virginale V. Tu gloria Ierusalem [3:50]       Répons de Vêpres / Vespers responsory [verset / verse : RB]   2. Alme virginis Marie - Antienne de Magnificat / Magnificat antiphon [4:32]   3. Priusquam in utero V. Confiteri ergo - Répons de Matines / Matins responsory [4:09]       [répons / responsory : RB LC ; verset / verse : AT, élaboration à 2 vx / 2-voice elaboration : RB]   4. Egredietur virga Ps. Confitebor tibi [4:14]       Antienne de Matines / Matins antiphon (Ps.9)   5. Iesse virga celi scala V. Suscipe laudes [3:38]       Répons de Matines / Matins responsory [verset / verse : AT]   6. Beatus venter V. Exultent omnes - Répons de Matines / Matins responsory [3:59]       [verset / verse : LC, élaboration à 2 vx / 2-voice elaboration : EE]       Office pour saint Pardoux / Office for St. Pardulf   7. Première lecture de la Vie de saint Pardoux [2:06]       First reading from the Life of St. Pardulf [PD]   8. Regem humilium Ps. Venite, exultemus - Invitatoire / Invitatory (Ps.94) [5:24]   9. Improvisation à l'orgue sur / Organ improvisation on Regem humilium [CH] [4:12] 10. Pardulphus largus V. Ut ieiunavit - Répons de Matines / Matins responsory [2:21]       [répons / responsory : AT RB ; verset / verse : EB, élaboration à 2 vx 2-voice elaboration : CH] 11. Ut quoque te miris Ps. Beatus vir - Antienne de Laudes / Lauds antiphon (Ps.111) [4:27] 12. Cossessas ut opes V. Ductorem que gregis [3:27]       Répons de Matines / Matins responsory [répons / responsory : CG AT RB ; verset / verse : EE, élaboration à 3 vx / 3-voice elaboration : CH] 13. Deuxième lecture de la Vie de saint Pardoux [1:56]       Second reading from the Life of St. Pardulf [PD] 14. Arnulphus sprevit Ps. Dixit insipiens [3:52]       Antienne de Matines / Matins antiphon (Ps.13) 15. Improvisation à l'orgue sur / Organ improvisation on Arnulphus sprevit [CH] [3:44]       Office pour saint Yrieix / Office for St. Yrieix 16. In fide recta Ps. Cum invocarem - Antienne de Matines / Matins antiphon (Ps.4) [3:59] 17. Catolica religione V. A Christo quoquem [3:32]       Répons de Matines / Matins responsory [verset / verse : CG] 18. Traditui a parentibus Ps. Verba mea [3:54]       Antienne de Matines / Matins antiphon (Ps.5) 19. Improvisation à l'orgue sur / Organ improvisation on Traditui aparentibus [CH] [3:29] ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879