The Mediæval Bæbes is a British musical ensemble founded in 1996 by Dorothy Carter and Katharine Blake.[1] It included some of Blake's colleagues from the band Miranda Sex Garden, as well as other friends who shared her love of medieval music. The lineup often rotates from album to album, and ranges from six to twelve members. As of 2010, the group had sold some 500,000 records worldwide,[2] their most successful being Worldes Blysse with 250,000 copies purchased.[3]
Music
The Bæbes' first album, Salva Nos (1997), reached number two on the UK specialist classical charts,[4] and was certified silver on 15 May 1998.[5] Subsequent albums include Worldes Blysse (which went to No. 1[citation needed]), Undrentide, (co-produced by John Cale), The Rose, (produced by Toby Wood), and the Christmas-themed album Mistletoe and Wine.
Mirabilis (2005) was launched at a concert and party in London, August 2005. A self-titled DVD was released in July 2006. The first 300 preorders were autographed by the band and received a special mention in the DVD credits.
A live album was released on 25 November 2006 and features two new studio tracks.
The Bæbes' musical pieces run the gamut from extremely traditional, such as their version of the "Coventry Carol" on Salva Nos, to songs that feel traditional but are much more modern, such as their rendition of "Summerisle", a song written for Robin Hardy's 1973 cult film, The Wicker Man. John Cale added non-medieval instruments, including saxophone and electric guitar, to some of the arrangements on Undrentide, although with subsequent albums the band returned to more traditional instruments. Even with these instruments, however, the band's current style is quite different from medieval authentic performance groups, as it displays significant modern influence - this juxtaposition is apparent in the album Illumination (2009) produced by KK (Kevin Kerrigan).
Collaborations
In 2005, the Bæbes contributed Mediæval Bæbes music to the soundtrack of the BBC period drama The Virgin Queen, which portrays the life of Elizabeth I of England, including the title music, which is a poem written by Elizabeth set to music by Blake.
The Bæbes provided the vocal track for and starred in the video of the Delerium track "Aria"; the vocals are an adapted version of the vocals from "All Turns to Yesterday" from Worldes Blysse. They are also featured on two tracks from Delerium's 2006 album, Nuages du Monde: "Extollere" and "Sister Sojourn Ghost".
In 2016, the group performed the theme song to the ITV TV series Victoria, performing the composition by Martin Phipps.
In 2023, the Baebes collaborated with Orbital on the latter's single "Ringa Ringa", a version of the children's rhyme "Ring a Ring o' Roses" referencing the COVID pandemic. The song appeared on Orbital's album Optical Delusion which released February 17, 2023
Members
On 19 December 2016, the Mediæval Bæbes performed a concert at the Tabernacle, Notting Hill in London to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band. Seventeen of the past and present members were reunited on stage for a few songs.
In 2017, Sophia Halberstam joined as a high soprano vocalist.
Member Maple Bee (aka Melanie Garside) is the singer in electronic duo Huski and the younger sister of KatieJane Garside, singer of London-based rock band Queenadreena.
Former members
One of the group's founding musicians, Dorothy Carter, died of a stroke in 2003 at the age of 68.[6] In addition to playing autoharp, hurdy-gurdy, and dulcimer with the group, she performed the lead vocals on "So Spricht Das Leben" (Worldes Blysse) and "L'Amour de Moi" (The Rose).
16 May 2007 – Audrey Evans and Maple Bee resigned due to family and professional commitments and Cylindra Sapphire resigned in order to follow a different musical path.
22 July 2009 – Claire Rabbitt left the Bæbes. Sarah Kayte Foster came on to replace her.
2006 Live (includes two new studio tracks; sold only on the official website and at concerts)
2010 Temptation
Compilations and soundtracks
1999 The Best of the Mediæval Bæbes (this title is absent from the Mediæval Bæbes' website, and they comment that Mistletoe and Wine is 'the only compilation endorsed by the Mediæval Bæbes')
2003 Mistletoe and Wine (a collection of Christmas-related music from previous albums, plus two new songs and two re-recorded songs)
2012 Devotion (a collection of devotional tracks from previous albums remixed and remastered, plus one new song; sold only on the official website and at concerts)
^Willin, Melvyn (1 June 2012). Music, Witchcraft and the Paranormal. David & Charles. p. 252. ISBN978-1-4463-5792-7. The Mediaeval Baebes were formed in 1996 when a medieval music enthusiast, Dorothy Carter, inspired Katherine Blake, a professional singer with the group Miranda Sex Garden, with her performance on medieval instruments
^Bessman, Jim (8 August 1998). "Virgin's Baebes Get Mediaeval in U.S."Billboard. The album, which features mainly a cappella singing by the 12 women who make up the Baebes, entered the classic chart at No. 2 in the U.K., where it was released last year.
