Piæ Cantiones Early Finnish Vocal Music

The medieval Latin songs on this recording are taken from the collection of Piae Cantiones ecclesiasticae et scholasticae veterum episcoporum ('Devout ecclesiastical and school songs of the old bishops'). Its first edition was published in 1582 by Theodoricus Petri Nylandensi (also known as Theodoric Petri of Nyland; c. 1560-1630). The first Finnish edition of the songs dating from 1616 contains among the earliest Finnish poetry. Intended for the pupils of the Turku Cathedral School, these mostly religious and partly secular songs were originally compiled by its rector Jacobus Finno and remained popular in Finnish schools until the 19th century. The Piae Cantiones collection of songs is without doubt one of Finland's greatest musical treasures, forming a link to the European cultural centres of the Middle Ages.