Mediaeval Baebes

Mediæval Bæbes
Background information
Origin	England
Genres	Classical, traditional, a cappella
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Nettwerk, Venture/Virgin/EMI
Website	www.mediaevalbaebes.com
Members	Katharine Blake Melpomeni Kermanidou Sophie Ramsay Clare Edmondson Josephine Ravenheart Anna Tam
Past members	List of past members Helen Bird Dorothy Carter Teresa Casella Sophie Evans Rebecca Golant Nicole Frobusch Ruth Galloway Vince Johnson Karen Lupton Camilla Hinsby Carmen Schneider Nichole Sleet Rachel Van Asch Audrey Evans Cylindra Sapphire Marie Findley Melanie Garside Claire Ravel Maxine Fone Sofia Escobar Claire Rabbitt Sarah Foster Esther Dee Emily Ovenden

The Mediæval Bæbes are a British musical ensemble founded in 1996 by Dorothy Carter and Katharine Blake. It included some of Blake's colleagues from the band Miranda Sex Garden, as well as other friends who shared her love of medieval music. The lineup often rotates from album to album, and ranges from six to twelve members. As of 2010, the group sold some 500,000 records worldwide, their most successful being Worldes Blysse with 250,000 copies purchased.

The Bæbes' first album, Salva Nos (1997), reached number two on the UK specialist classical charts, and was certified silver 15 May 1998. Subsequent albums include Worldes Blysse (which went to No. 1), Undrentide, (co-produced by John Cale), The Rose, (produced by Toby Wood), and the Christmas-themed album Mistletoe and Wine.

Mirabilis (2005), was launched at a concert and party in London, August 2005. A self-titled DVD was released in July 2006. The first 300 preorders were autographed by the band and received a special mention in the DVD credits.

A live album was released on 25 November 2006 and features two new studio tracks.

Each album features traditional medieval songs and poetry set to music, mostly arranged by Blake specifically for the ensemble, alongside varying numbers of original compositions. They sing in a variety of languages, including Latin, Middle English, French, Italian, Russian, Swedish, Scottish English, German, Manx Gaelic, Spanish, Welsh, Bavarian, Provençal, Irish, modern English and Cornish. Their vocals are backed by medieval instruments, including the recorder and cittern, played by the singers or fellow musicians.