Berit Norbakken - The Gospel of Mary (2023) Hi-Res

On this recording, the Icelandic composer Hugi Guðmundsson presents a new oratorio infused with religious themes and featuring a stirring ensemble of sinfonietta, choir, and solo soprano. The Gospel of Mary draws inspiration from a long-forgotten gospel written in the early centuries after Christ’s birth. It challenges the established narrative surrounding the role of Mary Magdalene in Christianity, daring to portray her as an apostle of equal importance to her male counterparts, bringing to life a long-overlooked perspective on one of the most iconic figures in the history of Christianity.

Hugi Guðmundsson (b. 1977) is an Icelandic composer based in Copenhagen. This album is his debut for Dacapo Records, presenting the oratorio The Gospel of Mary.

The oratorio is primarily based on the non-canonical text from a fifth-century papyrus codex popularly known as the Gospel of Mary about Mary Magdalene, which turned up in 1896.

The text presents a radical interpretation of Jesus’s teachings and positions Mary Magdalene as an Apostle with a close relationship to Jesus.

Guðmundsson and his librettists Niels Brunse and Nila Parly leaned into the feminist interpretation of the text, which establishes Mary’s importance and authority among the disciples, and tells a story about how women were part of the birth of Christianity, but have been toned down.

Guðmundsson’s setting of the Gospel of Mary follows the Baroque tradition of interspersing dramatisations of the Gospel text with movements that comment upon it. The words of Mary are given to the solo soprano, while the male characters are given to the chorus.

The oratorio also includes three chorales with original texts and five instrumental meditations.