1160 - 1250: The Notre Dame School of Polyphony, Introduction

Every once in a blue moon, an album comes along that completely changes your perspective on hackneyed opening sentences to music reviews. Performed by the vocal group, Tonus Peregrinus, Léonin & Pérotin: Sacred Music from Notre-Dame details the progression of polyphony in early medieval music, all the while offering something more than just a history lesson.

The collection features performances of pieces composed by Léonin and Pérotin, as well as by a number of anonymous (that is, unknown) composers, all products of the Notre Dame School of Music between the years 1160 and 1250. Named after the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, this collection of composers was renowned for its role in the development of early polyphony; that is, compositions using more than one independent voice. The pieces themselves were generally written around a traditional Gregorian Chant and would include variations in voicing, tempo, and rhythm. The most advanced compositions of the time, the motets, would include as many as four voices, often in contrary motion.

Since my experiences with this recording were both positive and educational, I will return to it in subsequent entries. If my blog encourages you to listen to anything, it should be this collection, not just because it is a pleasure to listen to, but also because it will enhance your appreciation of music in general.