Mediaeval Baebes and the Rochester Cathedral Choir will perform at Rochester Cathedral on Friday, November 16th.
The Mediaeval Baebes exquisite storybook opened its pages in 1996, when a group of friends broke into a North London cemetery and sang together, clad in flowing white gowns and crowns of ivy.
Pulling lyrics from mediaeval texts and setting them to original scores using mediaeval and classical instruments, whilst singing in an impressive array of long forgotten languages, the Baebes offered a unique musical beauty and outstanding talent. Their choice of mediaeval texts was dramatic, obscure and dark in topic and remarked upon the inevitability of death, the pointlessness of material possessions, the horror of unrequited love or the dangers of imbibing too much alcohol. Some themes are timeless!
Fifteen years later, these fair maidens have placed three albums into the top of the classical charts and their contribution to the BBC production of The Virgin Queen (composed by Martin Phipps) resulted in a deserved Ivor Novello Award 2007 for best television soundtrack.
The Mediaeval Baebes have performed before enthusiastic audiences in the UK, United States, Canada, Asia and Europe in venues ranging from castles and caves to nightclubs and Renaissance Fayres. They have toured with Jools Holland and played at The Royal Albert Hall, Carnglaze Caverns in Cornwall, Jersey Opera House, Tewkesbury Abbey, supported Michael Flatley in Hyde Park, and performed at the legendary Lilith Fair.
Their most recent album ‘The Huntress’ (to be released 19th November 2012) takes a fresher contemporary direction whilst retaining the ethereal beauty of the Baebes’ historical and musical influences and is their most musically ambitious album to date.
You will also of course be able to experience their fairytale whimsy, otherworldly enchantment and supernatural allure from seeing them perform live in concert. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are £17.50 for unreserved seating in the Nave, available from www.mediaevalbaebes.com/live.html