Julian of Norwich: Mysticism Through the Ages

Our programme's theme is Mysticism through the Ages.

As an upper voices group, we have a particular focus on women's contributions, and the programme centres around three inspirational women: a mystic, a mother, and a musician.

All three made huge contributions to faith and mystic spirituality, and we celebrate them today with our music.We start with Norfolk's most renowned visionary, Julian of Norwich.

The concert begins and ends with pieces setting words directly from Julian's Revelations of Divine Love.

Both pieces have been written recently by contemporary composers - in fact, The Hazelnut was newly composed for us for this very concert tour, a sign of how Julian's mystical voice remains compelling even over six centuries later.Few women have made such an impact as Mary, mother of Jesus, and three pieces in our programme are directly addressed to her.

The first half of the Ave Maria text is taken from the Angel Gabriel's greeting to Mary in the Gospel of Luke; the second half is a prayer to Mary in behalf of us all.

Two contemporary female composers, Cecilia McDowall and Rebecca Clarke, provide contrasting settings of the same text.

Alma Redemptoris Mater is another prayer for mercy addressed to Mary, but Josquin's 16th century setting is in a very different yet complementary style.Finally, Hildegard of Bingen was a medieval composer (and abbess, writer and polymath) and the naming inspiration for our group.

In the 12th century, music had not yet developed beyond chant for solo or unison voice, but Hildegard's sequences (as her songs are known as) are at the pinnacle of the craft.

She achieved remarkable expression within the limits of the musical tools she had available: notice how in Ave generosa, the highest notes are reserved for references to God and the heavens, while the longest melisma (several notes all one on symbol) is kept until near the very end, for Mary herself.Julian, Hildegard, and Mary: three remarkable women whose legacies continue to resonate through the ages.