Leonin: Magister Leoninus - Sacred Music from 12th century Paris

This recording takes us to the beginning of written music. Leonin was the composer for the Cathedral of Notre Dame when it was first in usable form. Leonin's music is in two parts and is an advancement from simple plainchant. If you are interested in Medi-eval music then this disc is essential. It's not a disc I often (so much music, so little time). For me, the cover art fully captures the music. Once when I fell asleep while listening to music I found myself in a half-awoken state. The 5 disc CD player had reached the the album being reviewed. In sleeping thoughts I found myself asking, what is this dark, deep voiced music? The next morning I realized it was the Leonin CD and it made me curious to listen in a more wakeful state. I've seen listened to the disc a handful of times and look forward to future listening so I can better understand the sound of the middle ages; it just won't happen quickly because composers like Messiaen also require repeated listens in order to gain full appreciation.

I've been collecting a lot of medieval and renaissance music of late, and Leonin was the leader in bringing polyphony into the ancient form of Chant. Adding another voice or two changed the way Chant sounded and felt. This album is a fine representation of that form. Though I prefer the more sprightly form of Virudent Omnes from the album by Tonus Peregrinus, the version presented here is quite beautiful.Only four stars because Chant is not my favorite form of medieval music, so give it a listen if you can before buying it, just to see if it's to your taste. I like it very much. I just don't love it.

This is a beautiful CD of Leonin's sacred works. I highly recommend it for any collection of music of the Middle Ages.

ASCETIC, AUSTERE AND AWESOME SACRED TWELFTH-CENTURY MUSIC FROM PARIS.One hundred years after late twelfth century polyphony was first written down an anonymous Monk, who may have been from Bury St. Edmonds, wrote an account of it published first in the 19th century. In it he tells about the two most important composers of the fifty years either side of 1200: the 'magestri' Leoninus and Perotinus.Leoninus, we are told, wrote a cycle of two-part settings of the most important chants in the Liturgical year- Chirstmas, Easter, Assumption and other feasts. This cyle was called 'Magnus liber organi'(the great book of 'organum').'Organi' of the type that made up Leoninus "Magnus Liber Organi" are settings of the plainsong. This recording includes compositions from the main feasts from the first part of the liturgical year. Although the year starts at the beginning of Advent, the first major feast is Christmas. 'Viderunt Omnes' and 'Alleluya', 'Verse Dies Sanctification' could have been the musical centerpieces of the third Mass on Chrismas Day in the last quarter of the 12th century. The liturgy of Notre Dame was very generous to Easter, and several 'Alleluyas' were set by Leoninus. Red Byrd sing the best of these 'Verse Pascha Nostrum' which is the 'Alleluya' for Christmas Day; the other selections on this disc are related to Pentecost, Ascension and Assumption.Performing the 'duplum' line in 'organum' is a skill that involves much creativity, and I suspect much guesswork on the part of the performer. In addition, the sustained notes in 'organum duplum' are a challenge to breath control and the sanity of the singer taking part. Fortunately, for our purpose, Red Byrd gives a really enlightened and vocally sound rendition of this music.Red Byrd believes ' that the point of singing the music of the past is to illuminate the present.' Its constant members are John Potter and Richard Weistreich, who are joined by other singers and instrumentalists who have a strong grounding in early music and an eagerness to explore old and new.Therefore, I say to you: Go into the most stark and 'spooky' room that you can find (it might help to have some religious symbols, such as a crucifix etc.)and light a candle or several (no electricity please) and simply absorb and enjoy a moment from the past!This album includes good liner notes with pertinent information and the text in English-Latin.

This disc offers nine pieces, Propers of the Mass and parts of the Divine Office, taken from the Magnus liber organi:Seven alleluias -Non vos realinquam orphanos (Mass on Ascension Sunday)Dulce lignum, dulces clavos (Mass on the Finding of the Holy Cross)Spritus sanctus procedens (Matins on Sunday at Pentecost)Paraclitus spiritus sanctus (Vespers on Thursday at Pentecost)Inter natos mulierum (Second vespers on the Nativity of St John the Baptist)Dies sanctificatus illuxit nobis (Matins on Christmas Day)Pascha nostrum immolatus est (Mass & Vespers on Easter Day)Two graduals -Priusquam te formarem (Mass on the Nativity of St John The Baptist)Viderunt omnes (Mass for Christmas Day)These pieces all display alternations of plainsong, organum and discantus. Most of these pieces I was previously unfamiliar with, the exception being 'Viderunt omnes' which is a commonplace on discs of Notre Dame material; here it is given a very different interpretation, simpler and pacier and perhaps more believable as being authentic, if we could ever make such a claim.Full lyrics with English translation are provided. The sleeve notes are brief but do an excellent job for the layman like myself of explaining the nature of and difference between organum and discantus, unlike many sleeve notes of Notre Dame discs which can be obscurantist.An excellent introduction to the polyphony of the Notre Dame school for the uninitiated, and an essential addition to the collection for those who are aficionados.

se qualcuno ha visitato, come me, le grandi cattedrali francesi apprezzerà enormemente questo cd che fa rivivere atmosfere di mille anni fa, davvero mette i brividi in alcune sezioni!