The Medieval Romantics
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Gilet Velut, Guillaume de Machaut, Anonymous, Solage, Paolo Tenorista, Guillaume Dufay, J. De Porta, Johannes de Lymburgia, Jacob de Senleches
Label: Hyperion
Magazine Review Date: 3/1992
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 56
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: CDA66463

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Quiconques veut d'amors joïr |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
Je languis d'amere mort |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
Joieux de cuer en seumellant estoye |
Solage, Composer
Solage, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
Quant voi le douz tans/En mai |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
Alma polis religio/Axe poli cum artica/Tenor/Contr |
J. De Porta, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices J. De Porta, Composer |
C'est force, faire le weil |
Guillaume de Machaut, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices Guillaume de Machaut, Composer |
Sofrir m'estuet et plus non puis durer |
Paolo Tenorista, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices Paolo Tenorista, Composer |
Plus bele que flors/Quant revient/L'autrier jouer |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
Tant doucement me sens emprisonnes |
Guillaume de Machaut, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices Guillaume de Machaut, Composer |
Degentis vita/Cum vix artidici/Tenor/Contratenor |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
Mais qu'il vous viengne a plaisance |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
En ce gracieux tamps joli |
Jacob de Senleches, Composer
Jacob de Senleches, Composer Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices |
Comment qu'a moy lonteinne |
Guillaume de Machaut, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices Guillaume de Machaut, Composer |
Je requier a tous amoureux |
Guillaume Dufay, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices Guillaume Dufay, Composer |
Las, que feray? Ne que je devenray? |
Guillaume Dufay, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices Guillaume Dufay, Composer |
Je voel servir plus c'onques mais |
Gilet Velut, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gilet Velut, Composer Gothic Voices |
Tota pulchra es, amica mea |
Johannes de Lymburgia, Composer
Christopher Page, Conductor Gothic Voices Johannes de Lymburgia, Composer |
Author: mberry
Gothic Voices' latest recording of French songs and motets from 1340 to 1440 is as challenging in its title, ''The Medieval Romantics'', as in its execution. Both the music and the recording reveal a repertoire of captivating interest and beauty— not 'wayward', as some would suggest, but astonishingly creative and adventurous. A listener unacquainted with this music should enjoy Christopher Page's illuminating and detailed introduction.
The programme includes pieces by such familiar names as Machaut and Dufay, others by less well-known names, and others—by no means the least impressive—by unknown composers. The flowing momentum of the descending sequential figures in the opening rondeauQuiconques veut d'amors joir sets the pace and indicates the character of the whole recital: it is elegant, but also glowing and vigorous. The singers settle for a pleasantly reedy tone, which is never mannered or excessive. Its warmth and vitality are matched by the kind of vocalization they have invented to interpret the textless or partially texted lines. They vocalize endlessly—perhaps rather too much so—on the French 'u' sound with its rich ingredients of upper partials. Such a relaxed and ingenious manner of vocalization, whether authentic or not, has the effect of surrounding the actual lines of the song with a quasi-instrumental texture, one that contrasts well with the gentle plucking of harp and lute in other items, notably Mais qu'il vous viengne a plaisance.
Further variety is achieved in more obvious ways, by the different vocal groupings, for example. Two of Machaut's virelais are sung by a solo unaccompanied voice:C'est force, faire le weil, by a tenor, and the haunting Comment qu'a moy lonteinne, by an alto. One of the loveliest and at the same time the most intriguingly experimental pieces is another virelai, Joieux de cuer en seumellant estoye, by Solage. A wide-ranging tenor voice sings the only texted line, and an alto and two tenors vocalize the other parts with amazing freedom and delicacy. For this piece alone, with its matchless musical originality, I would want to buy this disc.'
The programme includes pieces by such familiar names as Machaut and Dufay, others by less well-known names, and others—by no means the least impressive—by unknown composers. The flowing momentum of the descending sequential figures in the opening rondeau
Further variety is achieved in more obvious ways, by the different vocal groupings, for example. Two of Machaut's virelais are sung by a solo unaccompanied voice:
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