Twelve Keys of Basilius Valentinus: A Song Cycle First Key: Alchemia for Soprano and Piano

Twelve Keys of Basilius Valentinus: A Song Cycle:: First Key: Alchemia for Soprano and Piano This 13 piece song cycle consists of narration, spoken, and sung texts sourced from Alchemical writings of the 15th and 17th Centuries. The medieval text "The Twelve Keys of Basilius Valentinus" attributed to a Benedictine monk is the primary text that explains how the alchemist is to achieve the Philospher's Stone. The Latin text is sourced from the acronyms found on the engravings from the 17th-century book "L'Escalier des sages" by Barent Coenders van Helpen. Performed here by Soprano Valentina Díaz & Barney Tabor on Piano. https://otherguitar.weebly.com/ "A King and Queen stand in an open field. A wolf leaps over a flame. Saturn as an lame, old man." "Let my friend know that no impure or spotted things are useful for our purpose. Let the diadem of the King be of pure gold and let the Queen, united to him in wedlock, be chaste and immaculate." (Basilius Valentinus, "Twelve Keys" ) "Ars Laboriosa Convertens Humidate Ignea Metalla In Mecurio" (Barent Coenders van Helpen, "L'Escalier des Sages" ) (Rough translation: The laborius art of converting igneaus humidity of metal to Mercury.) "The King travels through six regions in the heavenly firmament, and in the seventh he fixes his abode. There the royal palace is adorned with golden tapestry. If you understand my meaning this Key will open the first lock and push back the first bolt. " (Basilius Valentinus.)