Laudes

Laudes is a composition created in layers, much like a geological formation or a richly layered cake. The text, written by Saint Francis of Assisi, is the Canticle of the Creatures, a work familiar to many from school, especially in Italy. Often considered simple at first glance, this text invites a deeper reading that reveals its true complexity.

Far from being merely a hymn of praise, it is a profoundly pantheistic text, imbued with alchemical overtones. The music follows the natural rhythm of the words, reminiscent of the medieval laude—musical compositions that blend the sacred and the profane, embodying a popular yet deeply spiritual expression. While the piece is not directly based on medieval melodies, its overall form is inspired by the music of that period.

Interwoven into the lauda is a clarinet, which acts as a modern observer, unveiling the magical, popular world hidden behind the surface of the text. This instrument serves as a kind of disturber, disorienting the listener slightly but ultimately guiding toward deeper understanding. It is the voice of the shaman, the one who perceives divinity in all creatures.

In the background, lost in reverberation, baritone voices sustain drones—long, held notes. These voices sing the Canticle of the Creatures, but the text is fragmented, chewed, and reworked. No longer solely Francis of Assisi's, the text now belongs to no one, and thus, to everyone. All of the music in this piece springs from the text, like a tree growing on the remnants of ancient forests.

Percussion elements are also present, including drums, shamanic instruments, Tibetan cymbals, and liturgical bells—each bringing forth resonances tied to mystery and light, to what is simultaneously bright and shadowy. A portative organ, a typical medieval instrument, appears as a fleeting thought, woven into a counterpoint of other thoughts. Various harpsichords are scattered throughout, some close to the listener, others distant, lost in reverberation. They symbolize great collapses, perhaps the crumbling walls of a city or a vanishing empire. Yet, even among ruins, nature endures.

This piece invites careful listening. It is like a riddle, unlocking a door to a hidden world. That door leads us out of time itself, allowing us to exist simultaneously in the Middle Ages of Saint Francis, in our own present, which is unraveling, and even in the future. In this future, the shaman's voice shows us that what we seek has always been present—if only we look closely.