Jazz based on melodies from a medieval manuscript. This crazy idea arose from the desire to emphasize the common identity of the two regional festivals Sagra Musicale Umbra and Umbria Jazz. The Laudario di Cortona is an important 13th-century manuscript containing 47 hymns to the Virgin Mary. Written in the vernacular Italian, rather than in the church language Latin. It is also one of the few
… laudarians with text and music. Trumpeter Paolo Fresu and bandoneonist Daniele di Bonaventura made 'jazz standards' of the laudario melodies and performed them together with a chamber orchestra during Umbra Jazz. At the classical festival Sagra Musicale Umbra, this instrumental version was supplemented by a classical female choir that performed the same melodies. This combined version can be heard on this album. (SvdP)more
