C<strong>et</strong>te formation internationale, spécialisée dans<strong>la</strong> musique du Moy<strong>en</strong> Age <strong>et</strong> de <strong>la</strong> R<strong>en</strong>aissance,existe depuis une dizaine d’années. Elle a à son actifnombre de concerts dans les plus importants festivalsinternationaux, <strong>des</strong> col<strong>la</strong>borations importantes avec<strong>des</strong> c<strong>en</strong>tres d’<strong>en</strong>seignem<strong>en</strong>t <strong>et</strong> de recherche tels que leC<strong>en</strong>tre de <strong>Musique</strong> Anci<strong>en</strong>ne de G<strong>en</strong>ève, le CERIMM deRoyaumont ou le CNSM de Lyon.Le travail de recherche de Lucidarium se consacre à <strong>des</strong>répertoires considérés mineurs, mais qui ont représ<strong>en</strong>té,pour le Moy<strong>en</strong> Age <strong>et</strong> pour <strong>la</strong> R<strong>en</strong>aissance, <strong>des</strong> véhiculespuissants de diffusion <strong>et</strong> d’expérim<strong>en</strong>tation de nouvellesidées musicales. Il s’agit de musiques <strong>des</strong>tinées à unusage quotidi<strong>en</strong> <strong>et</strong> à une vaste diffusion, le refl<strong>et</strong> de <strong>la</strong>s<strong>en</strong>sibilité <strong>et</strong> du goût <strong>en</strong> vogue à l’époque. Elles pos<strong>en</strong>t<strong>des</strong> questions fascinantes sur les re<strong>la</strong>tions <strong>en</strong>tre écritureEnsemble LucidariumThis international group specializing in medieval <strong>and</strong>R<strong>en</strong>aissance music was formed more than t<strong>en</strong> yearsago. Besi<strong>des</strong> a busy concert cal<strong>en</strong>dar, the <strong>en</strong>semblecol<strong>la</strong>borates regu<strong>la</strong>rly with important educational <strong>and</strong>sci<strong>en</strong>tific institutions, such as the C<strong>en</strong>tre de <strong>Musique</strong>Anci<strong>en</strong>ne de G<strong>en</strong>ève, the CERIMM of Royaumont <strong>and</strong>the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Lyon.Much of LUCIDARIUM’s research is dedicated torepertoires considered ‘minor’, which were, in reality,powerful vehicles for spreading <strong>and</strong> evolving newmusical concepts during the Middle Ages <strong>and</strong> theR<strong>en</strong>aissance. This music, meant for daily use <strong>and</strong> widedistribution, mirrors the taste <strong>and</strong> m<strong>en</strong>tality of theera, at the same time raising a series of questionsabout the re<strong>la</strong>tionship b<strong>et</strong>we<strong>en</strong> writt<strong>en</strong> music <strong>and</strong>48Emmanuel Mathez
<strong>et</strong> transmission orale, sur l’échange continu de formes<strong>et</strong> de thèmes dans les différ<strong>en</strong>tes couches de <strong>la</strong> société.Chaque programme exige un travail de préparation dansde nombreux domaines: d’où une sonorité à chaquefois nouvelle, un mé<strong>la</strong>nge d’instrum<strong>en</strong>ts <strong>et</strong> de voix quiperm<strong>et</strong>t<strong>en</strong>t une reconstruction rigoureuse - mais libre<strong>et</strong> bruissante de vie - de l’univers sonore médiéval <strong>et</strong> de<strong>la</strong> R<strong>en</strong>aissance. Depuis sa fondation, c<strong>et</strong>te fusion <strong>en</strong>trepréparation méticuleuse <strong>et</strong> création vivante, ouvrantde nouvelles perspectives dans l’interprétation de <strong>la</strong>musique anci<strong>en</strong>ne, a permis à l’<strong>en</strong>semble de gagnerl’approbation du public <strong>et</strong> de <strong>la</strong> critique.Les <strong>en</strong>registrem<strong>en</strong>ts de LUCIDARIUM ont gagnéde nombreuses récomp<strong>en</strong>ses auprès de <strong>la</strong>critique internationale. L’<strong>en</strong>semble a déjà effectué degran<strong>des</strong> tournées dans toute l’Europe <strong>et</strong> <strong>en</strong> Amériquedu Nord.oral transmission, <strong>and</strong> about the continuous exchangeof forms <strong>and</strong> themes b<strong>et</strong>we<strong>en</strong> the differ<strong>en</strong>t levels ofmedieval <strong>and</strong> R<strong>en</strong>aissance soci<strong>et</strong>y.Each program is the fruit of a long period of research<strong>and</strong> preparation in various fields, resulting in a differ<strong>en</strong>tsonority for each program: a lively combination ofvoices <strong>and</strong> instrum<strong>en</strong>ts with the freedom in executionwhich comes from a solid knowledge of musicalstyle <strong>and</strong> historical background. This combinationof m<strong>et</strong>iculous preparation <strong>and</strong> creativity, which hasop<strong>en</strong>ed up new perspectives in historical performancepractice, has brought the <strong>en</strong>semble both popu<strong>la</strong>r <strong>and</strong>critical acc<strong>la</strong>im ever since it was founded.LUCIDARIUM’S CDs have received numerousinternational awards. The <strong>en</strong>semble has touredext<strong>en</strong>sively throughout Europe <strong>and</strong> North America.Lucidarium wishes to thank the following sco<strong>la</strong>rs,without whose work this project would not have be<strong>en</strong> possible:Israel Adler, Dan Almagor, Giulio Busi, S<strong>et</strong>h Jerchower, George Jochnowitz, Maria Luisa Mayer Mod<strong>en</strong>a,C<strong>la</strong>udia Ros<strong>en</strong>zweig, Francesco Spagnolo, André Thibaut, Erika Timm;<strong>and</strong> the <strong>la</strong>te Léo Levi z.l. <strong>and</strong> Robert Leydi z.l.We would like to thank the following libraries (<strong>and</strong> their librarians) for helping us with our research:La Bibliothèque de l’Alliance Universelle Israelite (Paris), YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (New York),University of P<strong>en</strong>nsylvania Library (Phi<strong>la</strong>delphia),Il C<strong>en</strong>tro di Docum<strong>en</strong>tazione Ebraica Contemporanea (Mi<strong>la</strong>no).In addition, we would like to thank L<strong>en</strong>a Stanley C<strong>la</strong>mp of the European Association for Jewish Culture;Isabel Stierli, Thomas Gartmann, <strong>and</strong> Manue<strong>la</strong> Sonanini of Pro Helv<strong>et</strong>ia;The Circolo ARCI «E. Curiel» <strong>and</strong> the Sezione del Partito dei Democratici di Sinistra of Cesano Maderno<strong>and</strong> the family of Rabbi Fern<strong>and</strong>o Belgrado z.l.And <strong>la</strong>st but not least: Lily, Nonna, Jelly <strong>and</strong> FlipEnrico Fink appears courtesy of Materiali SonoriTrans<strong>la</strong>tions copyright 2004/2005 Francis Biggi, Enrico Fink, Avery Gosfield, Luc<strong>et</strong>te Barattini Biggi49