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`Aurea personet lira´ translating `Let the golden lyre resound´, is a song by an unknown, medieval composer, from around the year 1100. It is a celebration, of the harmonious song of the nightingale – wishing, not only to hear her sing in spring, but all year round and through long, dark days. The piece is sung by the group PER-SONAT, some of the few people who can read the music notations from that time. It was recorded in the 1000 year old Church, St. Moritz in Augsburg in Germany, in October 2020. This poignant, medieval message from the past, seems to understand what we are now going through – plague and the longing for resolution.
The visuals were filmed in the woods along the river Isar in Munich, as the people rush to get home before the 9pm curfew, that was set during the pandemic in 2020. The still observation of this random occurrence, the trees being lit up by the lights of the bikes combined with the music, gives this banal situation gravitas and an archaic character – maybe we’re not that much different to our medieval ancestors – we’re still scared of the dark, we’re still scared of death and we’re still affected by wars and plagues…

Filmed as part of the „Random Gravitas“ series.

PER-SONAT

Christine Mothes, Vocals

Sarah Mariko Newmann, Vocals
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Hanna Marti, Vocals.

Harp
Marc Lewon, Vocals.

Carolngian Kythara.

Sabine Lutzenberger, Vocals, Leader.