Telarc presents a world premiere recording of vocal motets by a contemporary composer in medieval style.

Delivering the motets are the riveting and multi-cultural women’s vocal ensemble, Tapestry , which debuted for Telarc on the disc Angeli. Tapestry was founded in 1994 by director Laurie Monahan, who was also co-founder of Ensemble Projects Ars Nova (P.A.N.) and collaborator in the recordings of Hildegard’s music by Sequentia, in the 1980’s.

Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), mystic and visionary, was renowned even in her own era as a unique figure. Her writings were endorsed by the Pope, and she founded her own convent in 1148. She profoundly believed her visions were of divine origin, a gift from God; her words and music recount her revelations during these experiences.

Composer Robert Kyr was commissioned by Tapestry to write From the Circling Wheel (1997), a cycle of motets on three texts by Hildegard for which none of her music has survived: I. Song to the Creator; II. Song of the Virgin to Her Son (upon his Death and Resurrection); and III. Song to the Virgin. Each of the motets has been set in English (translations by the composer), and each deals with a different aspect of creation as it related to the idea of a circling wheel.