Montréal's female vocal group Ensemble Scholastica makes its ATMA Classique recording debut with Ars elaboratio, a programme of newly composed elaborations on medieval liturgical songs. The original songs were chosen from the medieval plainchant repertoire in homage to the group's favourite saints: Scholastica, champion of education; Cecilia, patron saint of music; Catherine of Alexandria, champion of justice and female wisdom; and Saint John the Baptist, patron to the ensemble's home province of Québec.

Through the medieval art of elaboration, in which singers improvise their own embellishments within existing plainchant, Ensemble Scholastica offers a new approach to the quest for authentic performance practice. Plainchant selections on this recording might include elaborated passages of 2, 3 or even 4-voice polyphony.

Tracklisting:
1. Celsa secreta in columbe specie (Antiphon, 12th century)
2. Alleluia. Adducentur regi virgines (Alleluia, 10th century, with organal elaboration and motet)
3. Sancti baptiste (Sequence, 10th century, with organal elaboration)
4. Dilexisti iustitiam (Introit, 10th century, with tropes)
5. Velox impulit / Hic leta canit / Vestiunt silve / MULIERUM (Quadruple motet)
6. Cantantibus organis (Responsory, 10th century, with tropes and instrumental elaboration)
7. Quinque prudentes virgines (Communion antiphon, 10th century, with tropes)
8. Ad sit Johannis baptiste (Versus, 12th century, with organal elaboration)
9. Dum aurora finem daret (Antiphon, 12th century)
10. Benedicamus Domino. Tu lux refulge
11. Claris vocibus (Instrumental elaboration)
12. Claris vocibus (Sequence, 11th century, with organal elaboration)
13. Benedicamus Domino. Laudamus Dominum