Agnethe Christensen (dk/se) – gusli, kantele, voice
Elizabeth Gaver (us/no) – rebec, medieval fiddle, voice
Lerah Stuttard (uk/fr) – medieval harp, voice

With song, medieval harp, rebec, gusli, kantele, medieval fiddle, bells & lightdesign this concert celebrates the 3 saints Stephen, Michael and John the Baptist with traditional music from Scandinavia and medieval music by a.o Dufay, Binchois, Lassus and Anonymous. The Feast days of the first Christian martyr Stephen (26 December) and Saint John the Baptist (26 June) correspond with the old pagan rites around the solstices. In Scandinavia Sankte Staffan and Sankt Hans/Johannes are depicted in churches and the stories about horses, Saint Herod’s stableboy, food and dancing on midsummer eve are told in medieval ballads, working songs, Lithanian sutartines and hymns. They are celebrated both as sacred saints and creatures you might meet out in the fields and the forests. Saint Michael (19 September) has given his name to Mikkelsmäss, when we celebrate equinox and happy harvesting.

The more sacred texts can be found in European tenor melodies in French motets (though they’re mixed up with irreverent love stories), processional songs, sequences, carols, Italian songs of praise and hymns.