‘Undrentide’ itself is an extract from the Middle English poem ‘Orpheo.’ A recorder opens the track, but there’s also violin and dulcimer in the backing. Sung in old English, the song tells of a Queen who falls asleep under an enchanted tree and is inconsolable on awakening because she has seen the fairy world, and wants to be up and away there. The song is sung by the entire group.

It’s followed by a beautifully simple song, ‘Isabella.’ Sung in modern Italian by the whole group, the Baebes then divide and sing in a round. The most beautiful song on the whole album is ‘Quan Vey La Lauzeta.’ The Mediaeval French lyrics and melody come from Bernart de Ventadorn who lived in the twelfth century. A trio perform on sections of this track, backed by guitar and dulcimer. It really is worth learning how to pronounce the beautiful old Provençal lyrics in order to sing along.

‘Besse Bunting’ is another high point of the album. The beautiful 15th century English lyrics are sung without any backing. ‘E Volentieri’ takes its lyrics from a ballad in Boccaccio’s 14th century ‘Decameron,’ a collection of stories told over a number of days. Again, the musical arrangement is very simple, focusing on a gentle drum beat. ‘Cantiga’ is an instrumental piece, with Mediaeval Spanish music, and featuring dulcimer, recorder, bells and tambourine. It’s easy to imagine a long ago gathering of people dancing to this tune. In fact it calls to mind the wedding banquet scene in the French historical film, ‘La Reine Margot’ which is set in the 16th century.

The nature and pagan theme of the album is never more obvious than on ‘The Maypole Song’ from the film, ‘The Wicker Man.’ Originally sung in the film by a group of boys dancing around a maypole, the Baebes’ rendition is beautifully melodic and harmonised.

‘Averil’ is next, taken from the early English poem ‘Fairest between Lincoln and Lindsey.’ Recorders, dulcimer and sticks provide musical accompaniment. ‘Sweetheart, I beg you / With a lover’s petition / If you love me, as they say you do / Then love me as I want you to.’

‘Secreit Nicht’ takes its lyrics from William Dunbar’s ‘The Man of Valour to his Lady Fair.’ It’s a very short, beautiful and fragile duet, with backing from toy dulcimer and violin. ‘Now Welcome Somer’ comes from Chaucer, and celebrates the imminent return of summer, and the sun which has driven off the dark winter nights.

‘Veni Coronaberis’ has a musical backing which is reminiscent of a John Cale and Suzanne Vega track on ‘Songs From The Cold Seas.’ Meanwhile, ‘Omnes Gentes Plaudite’ (The Drinking Song) has lines such as ‘The more I drink, the less I’m good for!’

There’s a return to Mediaeval Provençal lyrics in ‘Lanquan Li Jorn.’ This song is not as exquisite as the earlier ‘Quan Vey La Lauzeta.’ But it’s worth listening to nonetheless. ‘At a Springe-Wel’ offers a simple short lyric of 14th century English, and is sung without musical backing. ‘Dance of the Trolls’ on the other hand is pure instrumental, featuring guitar, mandolin, hurdy gurdy, tenor recorder and violin.

‘Maiden in the Mor Lay’ has a beautiful solo from founder member of the Mediaeval Baebes, Katharine Blake. A young maiden lies on the moor for seven whole nights. She drinks the icy water of the well-spring, and her bower is the ‘red rose and the lily flower.’ There’s a reprise of ‘E Volentieri’ before the final track, ‘Palästinalied,’ which has a more Christian theme. Sung in Mediaeval German, the song has lyrics and music taken from Walter von der Vogelweide, a German troubadour of the 12th century. Sung as a plain chorus, this track has a beautiful sound, though not as beautiful as ‘Quan Vey La Lauzeta’ which is definitely one of the album’s high points. If ‘Worldes Blysse’ was steeped in the themes of death and mortality, this album seems to be rooted more in the seasons of summer and spring, and in nature and love. The photographs on the album, and the costumes depicted there, seem more fantastic and otherworldly than the Mediaeval-based costuming of ‘Worldes Blysse.’

Around the time ‘Undrentide’ was released, the Baebes brought out a book, ‘Songs of the Flesh,’ published by The Erotic Print Society. Proceeds from the book went to women’s charities. ‘Songs of the Flesh’ consisted of erotic photographs of most of the group’s members (though not everyone appeared), the pictures were taken by Vania Zouravliov, and were inspired by German Expressionism and the ‘Golden age of Victorian erotica.’ There’s a sepia quality to the photos, and the images are accompanied by text. There has been one more album since ‘Undrentide’ - ‘The Rose,’ which came out in 2002.

Kara Kellar Bell is a film and media graduate from the West of Scotland, with a passion for European novels, French films, silent cinema, and Brazilian music (everything from Daniela Mercury and other pop stars through to bossa nova). As a writer, she likes to have room to move around creatively, so she’s not located in one genre. She writes realism and also stories of a more fantastic nature, usually grounded to some extent in the real world. She also takes delight in writing across the sexual spectrum, and as a bisexual, considers it important to remind people that things are not always black and white, either/or, in sexuality or in gender. She is currently completing her first novel. For a selection of Kara’s writing on the Showcase section of this site, click here

© 2004 Laura Hird All rights reserved.