Scola Sanctae Sunnivae and Hartkeriana: Officium et Missae in Nativitate Sancti Ioannis Baptistae

A female choir from Trondheim and a male choir from Amsterdam are releasing a double CD inspired by a thousand years of church music traditions

Two internationally recognized choirs, Schola Sanctae Sunnivae from Trondheim (Norway) and Hartkeriana from Amsterdam (The Netherlands), have recorded a St. John's officium, a collection of a full day's masses and hourly prayers on one double CD. 

The female choir, Schola Sanctae Sunnivae, was founded in 1992, while the male choir, Hartkeriana, was founded in 1994. Both choirs have strong roots in the Gregorian chant tradition and each has previously released several successful CDs on their own. This new CD, produced by Eugeen Liven d'Abelardo, was recorded in Watou (Belgium).

All the texts are related to John the Baptist, who is celebrated by Christians around the world in midsummer. The CD also includes several Christmas texts, as John's function in the Bible was to announce the arrival of Christ on earth. The name of the material the two choirs perform in turn is "Officium et Missae In Nativitae Sancti Ioannis Baptistae".

The release of such a Gregorian CD with a dialogue between male and female voices is a rare gem. The project was initiated after the two choirs discovered each other during the annual international Gregorian chant festival in Watou. The material on the CD has been researched by Professor Cornelius Pouderuijen in Vienna. Here he has restored a complete officium relating to John the Baptist with all the hourly prayers and masses that are part of the St. Hans celebrations on 24 June. The complete officium has never previously been released on CD.

Track list:

CD1

1 - 8: In I Vesperis

9 - 13: Missa in Vigilia

14 - 33: Ad Matutinum

34 - 36: Alleluias Albi

CD2

1 - 7: Missa in Nocte

8 - 15: Ad Laudes

16 - 22: Missa in Die

23 - 30: In II Vesperis

31 - 33: Alleluias Albi