Few artists explore new sonic territories with the same commitment and curiosity as Barbara Hannigan. Known for her adventurous programming and fearless engagement with contemporary music, Hannigan constantly seeks ways to reframe the concert experience — whether premiering new operas or revisiting early music through unexpected lenses.
Her latest project, Electric Fields is a collaboration with David Chalmin and Katia and Marielle Labèque, bringing together centuries-old vocal music, new compositions, and live electronics. The album draws inspiration from composers like Barbara Strozzi, Francesca Caccini, Bryce Dessner, and above all, Hildegard von Bingen, whose mystical texts and melodies serve as the departure point.
In the track we recommend this week — O virga mediatrix, originally composed by Hildegard — Chalmin’s arrangement places Hannigan’s voice in a luminous electronic landscape shaped by layered textures and ambient resonance. The result is a meditative, immersive experience that bridges sacred chant and contemporary sound design.
Hildegard von Bingen, a 12th-century abbess, composer, and visionary, was one of the most extraordinary figures of her time. Her music, written in soaring lines and rich modes, is deeply spiritual and otherworldly — qualities that resonate powerfully in this modern reinterpretation.
Blending the ancient and the experimental, Electric Fields is less about remixing the past than about creating a new space where historical and sonic imagination meet. This track offers a glimpse into that world — introspective, expansive, and quietly radical.
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