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A new rendition of a 14th-century Latin hymn is showing how the current generation of sacred music composers has a lot to offer to the Catholic songbook. The work, “Media Vitae” (“In the midst of life, we are in death”), has been sung for over 700 years, but the expansive and imaginative chords arranged by British composer Kerensa Briggs go beyond beauty to reach the sublime.
VOCES8 released their recording of Briggs’ arrangement on October 22, 2024, for which they gave a thrilling performance. The way their sound reverberates off the walls of the VOCES8 Center in London gives the impression of the way light reflects off water. The sound waves just feel thick, giving the listener the sense of being fully submerged in a substance that is heavier than air, but lighter than liquid.
Aleteia has previously written on the beauty of the 14th-century “Media Vitae,” a hymn that had been sung at New Year’s Eve Masses since at least the 1300s, and which later became used as a compline antiphon for 4th Sunday of Lent. The medieval rendition performed by French seminarians was impressive, but the beauty of the chant is hard pressed to overcome Briggs’ work.
Heavily influenced by the 19th-century Romantic musical movement, Briggs pays special attention to the dynamics of the piece. This makes the volume ebb and swell throughout the piece, further creating a watery illusion in the form of a growing tide. She also introduces expansive chords, just brimming with suspensions and anticipations that infuse the track with heart wrenching emotion.
VOCES8 regularly releases a cappella choral music from their YouTube channel, but their recordings can also be found on Spotify, Apple Music, or your preferred streaming platform.
Hear more original hymns and sacred music from the pen of Kerensa Briggs at her official website.
Click here to hear how the two renditions of the same hymn compare.
And today we celebrate...