Eva-Maria HOUBEN
“Livres d’heures”

Composer : Eva-Maria Houben. Performers : Andreas Feilen (tubular bells), Eva-Maria Houben (piano, violin), Erik Carlson (violin), Bileam Kümper (violin).
a book of hours usually was designed for the private devotion of laymen as a prayer book. they arised in the 13th century and reached heyday during the late 14th century and the 15th century in France and the Flemish Region. very famous the books of hours of the Duc de Berry (1340-1416), including Très riches heures.
here the books of hours examine different kinds of relationship between people. as it is described in the last book (les petites heures):
“being occupied – in a peaceful way, without haste. a balance between intervention and restraint, between doing and not doing. being alone – with others, near to each other. meeting yourself – and each other. perhaps time seems to stand still sometimes.”