MICROLOGUS Ensemble

The musicians from Umbria, Patrizia Bovi, Goffredo Degli Esposti and Gabriele Russo, with Adolfo Broegg (1961-2006), founded the Micrologus Ensemble in 1984, with the aim of contributing to the discovery and interpretation of Medieval Music, based on research of the sources and historical, paleographic, organological and iconographic studies. Important moments when they were newly formed include their participation in the May Day Festival of Assisi and the activities of the “Art, Music and Entertainment Workshop”, following the courses and seminars in which they made created various medieval Sacred dramas and Mystery plays .  Also in the 1980s, they followed the activities of the Ars Nova Study Center in Certaldo, where they had the opportunity of discovering and discussing the ideas of the most important Italian and foreign musicologists of the time.
The Micrologus musicians use faithful reconstructions of period instruments (working directly with various specialized luthiers) and, in performances in the form of theatrical shows, costumes and props; Micrologus has thus staged over 30 different performances of medieval music, with tours of Europe, the Americas and Japan. Each year they present to the public one or two new thematic shows, alternating sacred and secular music (from the 12th to the 15th century), as well as productions commissioned for various European festivals. In some cases, they avail of the valuable collaboration of eminent scholars, as Dinko Fabris (Department of Ancient Music – Conservatoire of Bari) and researchers from the Centre de la Voix of the Abbaye de Rouyamont.
Micrologus collaborates with theatre, dance and cinema (they also produced the soundtrack for the film “Mediterraneo” by Gabriele Salvatores) and with other leading artists of contemporary music (including the Mancuso brothers, Giovanna Marini, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso and, recently, with Vinicio Capossela).
In 2002, Micrologus has had the opportunity to record the music of “Libre Vermell de Montserrat”directly, the first group in history, in the ancient monastery of Montserrat, in Catalonia; in collaboration with the Abbaye de Rouyamont (where there were in residence in 2002-2003), they staged “Li Gieus de Robin et de Marion”(the first opera with music, from the late 13th century), directed by Jean François Dusigne, with which they toured in France and other European countries.
In February 2003, commissioned by La Cité de la Musique in Paris, Micrologus presented, “Nostra Donna”, a new multimedia show on the  “Cantigas de Santa Maria”, directed by Toni Casalonga.
Micrologus was invited by the Flanders Festival-Antwerp as “ensemble in residence” for Laus Polyphoniae 2004, where they performed with a new theatre production, “Festa Fiorentina … for nonsense rhymes”, and with a new program on Zachara da Teramo, prepared in collaboration with Francesco Zimei, which was recorded on CD.
Their collaborations also include experimentation with important contemporary artists: in 2006, they recorded the CD “Kronomakia”, an electrifying fusion of medieval music and jazz/rock, with Daniele Sepe, the outstanding saxophonist and composer from Naples.
In 2007-2009, they had an international tour (Europe and North America) with “Myth”, a theatre-dance show by choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, together with the Belgian Toneelhuis company.
In 2009, they received the Boston Globe’s “BIGGEST SURPRISE” award in the top classical albums of the yearcategory, for the Book-CD “Aragòn en Napoles”.
In December 2009, they began their teaching activities in Spello (Pg), at the “Adolfo Broegg” European Centre for the Study of Medieval Music, where there is a permanent exhibition of “Lutes and string instruments from the Middle Ages to the present day”, and where the organise the “Spello Splendens”Festival.
On the Epiphany in 2012, Micrologus performed the first modern performance of a Christmas “Missa Fiorentina” from the 14th century (reconstruction by Francesco Zimei), which is soon to be recorded on DVD and CD, while, recent productions include, in 2013, a work on The influence of Guillaume de Machaut on late 14th-century Italian composers and, on the occasion of the 7th centenary of the birth of Giovanni Boccaccio, two projects of the oldest love ballads and of the Decameron era and in fourteenth century Tuscan short stories.
To mark their 30 years of activity, Micrologus released a CD of frottole from the early 14th century and a double CD of Medieval and Renaissance Laudi.
For some years the Micrologus Ensemble has been giving classes and stages on the interpretation of medieval music, collaborating with: the Festival of Urbino, La Cité de la musique (Paris), the Abbaye de Rouyamont, the Festival of Jaroslaw (Poland) and the Festival Copenhagen.
Since 2010, it has been organising the International Medieval Music Course in Spello (Pg) and the “Spello Splendens” Festival.
Micrologus has recorded 28 CDs and has been awarded with the “Diapason d’Or de l’Année” in France in 1996 for the CD “Landini and the music of Florence” In 1999, for the CD”Alla napolitana”(prepared together with the musicians of the “Cappella della pietà de’ Turchini” Centre for Ancient Music in Naples) and a Goldberg “Best of 2000 Award” for the CD”Canticle of the earth”.
There have been numerous radio and television recordings for: RAI 1, RAI 2, Radio 3, Radio France Culture, Radio France – Musique, ORF Vienna, Radio Suisse, Asahi Television di Osaka, WDR Colonia, Radio Clara Belgio, Televisione Slovena.

Selected discography

“In festa” songs of love and spring (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 1995)
“Llibre Vermell” songs of pilgrimage to Monte Serrato, 14th century (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 1996)
“Le Jeu de Robin et Marion” by Adam de la Halle  (Zig-Zag Territoires, Paris 2004)
Recording Award “Choc” du Monde de la Musique, September 2004
Recording Award “10 de Répertoire”, 2004

“Alla festa leggiadra ” The best of the ballads, madrigals and dances from the time of Boccaccio (XIV sec.). (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 2005)

“Aragòn en Nàpoles” Book-CD (Prames LCD 37, Aragon 2007)
BIGGEST SURPRISE, Boston Globe, Jeremy Eichler’s top classical albums of 2009
“GLORIA ET MALUM” Music and Dance from the Italian courts of the 15th century (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 2007)

“UN FIOR GENTILE” The ars nova of Magister Antonio Zacara da Teramo (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 2008)

“25 ANNI D’AMOR CANTANDO” (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 2009)

“Carnivalesque” – Sex, lies and…musical tale in 16th century Venice (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 2014)
Recording Award “Diapason d’Or”, November 2014

“Le vie del Sacro” – Cum desiderio vo cerchando/Devote passioni – 2 CD (Micrologus Ed. Disc. 2014)