Kvinterna

Music from medieval Bohemia and Spain

Hana Blochova - vocals, portable organ, recorder
Pavel Polasek - bombarde, santouri, shawn, recorder, vocals
Petr Vyoral - treble fiddle, medieval lutes, vocals
Milan Bilek - percussion

One of the main areas of interest of the members of Kvinterna is the Christian and Jewish music of thirteenth and fourtheenth-century Europe. Apart from medieval Spanish songs, such as those of the Cantigas de Santa María, its repertoire also includes Bohemian church music and music of the Royal Court, particularly of the time of the reign of Emperor Charles IV. Kvinterna is concerned with the reconstruction of Christian rituals and performs music inspired by medieval alchemy. An important part of all its performances consists in improvisation by its members, who also compose and render their own pieces. They use quality copies of the period's instruments as well as various other 'ethnic' instruments. Kvinterna's music often features ornamentation and rhythmic models characteristic of non-European, Oriental influences. Their aim in interpretation is to revive the inspirational multicultural environment of a former age.

The ensemble renewed its activity in 1994 and since that time regularly performs at home and abroad. It takes part in various festivals of ancient and also alternative music. Kvinterna's concerts often have a theatrical quality, reinforcing the music by movement and light. The group also collaborates with radio and television, and recently took part in the making of an American documentary about alchemy in Bohemia.

Discography
Previous recordings by Kvinterna include Dvorská hudba doby Karla IV (Music of the Court from the Time of Charles IV), used in the film Magister Theodoricus, which was part of the identically-named 1998 National Gallery exhibition in Prague, and Rituály stredoveku (Rituals of the Middle Ages), an album containing oracle songs of the Sibyl and songs celebrating the Black Madonna of Montserrat. The following CD to come out, Medieval Inspiration (2000) was an alchemy-related project where Kvinterna members explored musical themes by way of improvisation, working from their collective experience of the interpretation of music as well as from ideas of astrological predestination. The most recent CD, La rosa enflorece (2001) includes the sephardic romances from Spain and the ashkenazi prayers from the Prague archives.