Ancient Music for Christmastide

NOTE: All of the music on this program comes from the Duo Mignarda. For complete information: www.mignarda.com/cds/

I. Ancient Music for Chrstmastide. Mignarda MP020.

In Dulci Jubilo—“in sweet rejoicing”— sets the mood for our collection, a joyful, contemplative celebration of Christmas. We have lovingly adapted a selection of familiar early carols and hymns from original sources, with intimate performances featuring music from Germany, the British Isles, and France, reflecting a living tradition of domestic music-making that is personal, expressive, and deeply rooted in faith and culture.

At the heart of this collection is the jubilant macaronic German carol In dulci jubilo, expressing a sacred devotional lyric set to an anonymous 14th century tune. The text is attributed to Heinrich Suso (1295-1366), who described how the words came to him in a vision in which he “heard angelic strains and sweet heavenly melody" — a story that perfectly mirrors the music’s mingling of rapture and humility, joy and reverence.

Each track on the album is the result of careful study of language and context, of poetic form and historic style. Mignarda’s interpretations are shaped both by scholarly research and by the slow, thoughtful process of rehearsal and reflection—a blending of intellectual curiosity with heartfelt performance. The result, we hope, is more than historical re-creation: it is music alive with meaning and emotion, inviting listeners to experience these centuries-old carols as living moments of quiet devotion, reflection, warmth and joy.

II. Christi Redemptor Omnium. Mignarda MP019.

This collection of music for the Christmas season showcases polyphonic works of the 15th & 16th centuries in historically informed adaptations for the ideal pairing of solo voice and lute, offering us a welcome opportunity to revisit our roots as church musicians devoted to the traditional Latin Mass. With the exception of the instrumental “Recercar” by Francesco da Milano, every piece has been arranged by Mignarda for solo voice and lute directly from the original polyphonic vocal settings. Such arrangements were a common practice in the 16th century, whether to adapt to available resources or, in the case of Palestrina, to assist in working out parts during composition.

All of the music is sung in historical Latin, the universal language of the liturgy and a living link among the learned circles of Renaissance Europe. This shared linguistic heritage enabled composers from France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and elsewhere to shape their liturgical and devotional settings in ways that reflected their distinctive cultures, yet remained united in purpose. The Latin lyrics of “Personent Hodie” are shaded by German influence and end with a joyful English verse.

We offer this contemplative collection of intimate performances of historical polyphony as a celebration of Christmas that can be enjoyed throughout the year.