Some concerts are so exceptional that a single glimpse is enough to convey their brilliance to the world. Just listen and watch the video and photo below. It features the Stabat Mater set to a Gregorian melody from around 1653 by Benedictus à Sancto Josepho.
We, boardmembers of the Ultimate Stabat Mater Website Foundation, had the privilege of attending the Holland Baroque friends’ concert on August 29 this year—a program that showcased sacred music from 17th-century North Brabant, the Netherlands.
What unfolded was nothing short of magical. Beautifully calligraphed verses from a 500-year-old hymnal, discovered in Boxmeer, were transformed into a living prayer. Through an exquisite arrangement for five female solo voices and nine accompanying instruments, these ancient, color-coded musical notes were reborn as understandable, moving, pure, and utterly contemporary music.
Tineke and Judith Steenbrink, the visionary founders of Holland Baroque, resurrected this old religious music, painting an unknown musical landscape with their ensemble and creating something truly miraculous.
And learn also about Tineke Steenbrink’s extraordinary journey, which led her to the manuscript of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in Montecassino in Italy.
