Music of the Gothic Era

Music of the Gothic Era
Early Music Consort of London - David Munrow
DG Archiv Codex 453 185 (2 CDs)
DG Archiv Codex 469 027-2GCL (2 CDs)
DG Archiv "Blue" 471 731 (2 CDs)

Originally issued as: DG Archiv 2710 019 (3 LPs);
also issued in CD version as: Musical Heritage Society 524643F

Contents:

    Notre Dame Period - Organa 2 vocum

  1. Léonin: Viderunt omnes (voice, choir, bells)
  2. Léonin: Alleluya Pascha nostrum (voice, choir, bells)
  3. Léonin: Gaude Maria Virgo (voice, choir, bells)
  4. Léonin: Locus iste (voice, choir, bells)

    5. Notre Dame Period - Organa 4 vocum

  5. Pérotin: Viderunt omnes (3 voices, choir, organ)
  6. Pérotin: Sederunt principes (choir, organ)

    7. Ars antiqua - Motetti

  7. Alle, psallite cum luya (3 voices, shawm, tabor)
  8. Amor potest (2 voices, shawm)
  9. S'on me regarde (2 voices, fiddle, mandora, harp, psaltery)
  10. In mari miserie (3 voices, bells)
  11. On parole de batre (3 voices, tabor)
  12. En mai, quant rosier sont flouri (3 voices, recorder, organ, fiddle, lute)
  13. Dominator Domine (3 voices, bells)
  14. El mois de mai (2 voices, rebec, recorder, fiddle, lute)
  15. O mitissima (3 voices, shawm, tabor)
  1. Hoquetus, 3 voc.
    1. Neuma (2 cornetts, shawm)
    2. Virgo (2 cornetts, shawm)
    3. In seculum longum (2 fiddles, rebec, harp)
    4. In seculum viellatoris (2 fiddles, rebec, harp)
    5. In seculum breve (organ, recorder, rebec)
    6. In seculum d'Amiens longum (harp, mandora, fiddle)
    7. In seculum (harp, mandora, fiddle)
  2. Petrus de Cruce: Aucun ont trouvé (2 voices, fiddle)
  3. Adam de la Halle: De ma dame vient (2 voices, fiddle)
  4. Adam de la Halle: J'os bien a m'amie parler (2 voices, recorder, fiddle)
  5. La mesnie fauveline (3 voices)

    6. Ars nova - Motetti

  6. Quant je le voi (4 voices, shawm, tabor)
  7. Zelus familie (3 voices)
  8. Quasi non ministerium (3 voices, fiddle)
  9. Philippe de Vitry: Impudenter circumivi (2 voices, 2 fiddles)
  10. Philippe de Vitry: Cum statua (2 voices, shawm)
  11. Bernard de Cluny: Pantheon abluitur (3 voices, shawm, trumpet)
  12. Clap, clap, par un matin (2 voices, psaltery, mandora, fiddle, harp)
  13. Henri Gilles de Pusiex: Ida capillorum (2 voices, fiddle, cornemuse)
  14. Henri Gilles de Pusiex: Rachel plorat filios (2 voices, shawm)
  15. Lés l'ormel a la turelle (3 voices)
  16. O Philippe, Franci qui generis (2 voices, shawm)
  17. Febus mundo oriens (3 voices)
  18. Machaut: Lasse! comment oublieray (3 voices)
  19. Machaut: Qui es promesses (2 voices, shawm)
  20. Machaut: Hoquetus David (2 cornetts, shawm, bells)
  21. Machaut: Christe, qui lux es (2 voices, trumpet, shawm)
  22. Degentis vita (2 voices, 2 fiddles, lute, harp)
  23. Inter densas deserti (2 voices, fiddle, lute)
  24. Philippe Royllart: Rex Karole, Johannis genite (2 voices, 2 cornetts, shawm)

Performers: James Bowman (countertenor), Charles Brett (countertenor), David James (countertenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Paul Elliott (tenor), Martyn Hill (tenor), John Nixon (tenor), John Potter (tenor), Geoffrey Shaw (bass), Oliver Brookes (fiddle), Eleanor Sloan (rebec, fiddle), Nigel North (rebec), James Tyler (lute, mandora), Gillian Reid (bells, psaltery), Christopher Hogwood (harp, organ), David Corkhill (bells, organ, nakers, tabor), Michael Laird (cornett), Iaan Wilson (cornett), Alan Lumsden (cornett, slide trumpet), David Munrow (recorders, shawms, cornemuse)

Recording dates: April 1975 (Surrey) & October 1975 (London); reissued on CD: 1997

Playing time: 139'

This is a full reissue of the classic set, accompanied by 84 page booklet. Unattributed pieces are anonymous.

A couple of other classic Medieval recordings by Munrow:

Music of the Crusades
The Early Music Consort of London - David Munrow
London Jubilee (Decca Serenata) 430 264
Ecco la primavera
Florentine Music of the 14th century
Early Music Consort of London - David Munrow
London (Decca Serenata) 436 219

A recent reissue of a largely Medieval program:

The Art of Courtly Love
French secular music (1300-1475): Machaut / Binchois / Dufay
Early Music Consort of London - David Munrow
Virgin Veritas Edition 61284 (2 CDs)

The earlier single CD reissue from this set:

Music of the Gothic Era
Early Music Consort of London - David Munrow
DG Archiv 415 292

Another classic program surveying the same repertory as the first two-thirds of the present recording:

Ars Antiqua
Organum, Motette, Conductus
Capella Antiqua, München, Konrad Ruhland
Telefunken "Das alte Werk" 9530/31 (2 LPs)

Finally, another introductory-style program which was very popular in its era:

Popular Medieval Music
The Jolly Minstrels: Minstrels Tunes
Songs and Dances of the Middle Ages on Authentic Instruments
Gerald English / Jaye Consort - Grayston Burgess
Pye Golden Guinea Collector GGC 4092 (LP)

To purchasing information for this disc.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Todd M. McComb