Tandaradei
Birds in Medieval Song

In medieval poetry and music, birds heralded the changing of the seasons, accompanied wistful lovers, consoled the lonely, and offered a reflection of human longing. Their songs thus became a symbol of what words alone could scarcely express.

In the program Tandaradei, we bring together songs from the 12th to the 15th centuries around the motif of birds and their songs. In six languages across several centuries – from the courtly love lyrics of troubadours and trouvères to the bawdy humor of Oswald von Wolkenstein – we tell a story of human love and aspiration, renewal and despair.