Source: Sequentia, Benjamin Bagby, dir. Endzeitefragmente / Fragments for the End of Time.
Benjamin Bagby has been endlessly driving early music interpretation to its limits, exploring unknown territories and, with fragments of medieval apocalyptic texts found, how can I say, the music is transcendent.
Une magnifique oeuvre, et surtout, interprétation.
cd: [ Ссылка ]
Ensemble: [ Ссылка ]
This description of the final judgement is taken from the
Evangelienbuch of the Alsatian monk Otfrid von Weissenburg (the first known German poet), who wrote commentaries and paraphrases on the Gospels in the local German dialect, which he called Frankish.
For the entire world a judgement day has been set, before a powerful court, and we must fear it. I say this loudly: there will be no one who can avoid appearing before this court!
[Refrain]:
On that day of judgement it will go well for those who need not worry about their past deeds, and against whom in that hour no accusation can be brought; for them, protection and a path to safety will still be possible!
Even those wretches who have lived on earth just as they pleased, they too will have to appear. It's difficult for me to say this: all who were born of woman must be present (my heart is terrified at the thought!), to account for their deeds, one after the other, without
exception. A woeful judgement day!
[Refrain]
There will be no help, believe me, for anyone; nor will anyone be able to escape. Everyone who is convicted there will suffer the eternal pain of hell's punishment.
[Refrain]
Do you know what the prophet of the Lord says about this time? He says there will be great agony. You can read his words: it is a day of anger, of struggle, of suffering and countless terrors. On that day the angels will loudly blow their horns, which will resound over the earth to awaken the dead.
[Refrain]
It is the day of storms and darkness - woe! All sinners will be swept away. What more can I possibly say? It is a day of immense suffering.
[Refrain]
Have you read the prophesies, which tell how the Lord will appear threateningly from above, and shake the heavens? What man on earth could then resist, when the Lord causes even the heavens to quake? Keep this image in your mind: He will fold up the heaven-swith His powerful hand, like a book snapped shut.
[Refrain]
Truly, this day can be compared with no other, and there can be no thought of escaping it. There will be no way to quickly make a secret plan of evasion; even the smallest thought will become known, this is certain!
[Refrain]
With gold and with expensive clothes one cannot hope to redeem oneself, nor with silver nor rich fabrics. The servant will not stand by his master, nor will wife and children: they will be worrying about themselves. Nor can anything else help even the most powerful man; all people are considered the same, affected in the same way.
[Refrain]
Truly, I cannot keep this silent: each man is fearful for himself, for his own soul; there is nothing more important. Servants and powerful lords, to them it will all be the same, unless one's virtues might raise one above the others.
[Refrain]
There will be no bribery and no payments in lieu of justice: so that no one even tries to buy his way free from judgement. And it doesn't matter how much power or dominion you had over others in the world; if you bring it to the judgement, your treasure is lost! Because the Lord is just, He who gives the verdict; he does it Himself - I'm telling you - and not some deputy!
[Refrain: For this reason, on that day of judgement...]
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Sequentia : Benjamin Bagby (voice, harps, symphonia) and Norbert Rodenkirchen (flutes, harp)
