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Age of Cathedrals
Theatre of Voices
Age of Cathedrals
Genres: Special Interest, Pop, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (16) - Disc #1

In the late 12th century, the city of Paris, with its university and cathedral, was unequaled as a center of music and learning. The musical innovations achieved at Notre Dame and the abbey of St. Martial laid the groun...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Theatre of Voices
Title: Age of Cathedrals
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
Release Date: 10/22/1996
Album Type: Import
Genres: Special Interest, Pop, Classical
Styles: Vocal Pop, Opera & Classical Vocal, Historical Periods, Early Music
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 093046715724

Synopsis

Amazon.com
In the late 12th century, the city of Paris, with its university and cathedral, was unequaled as a center of music and learning. The musical innovations achieved at Notre Dame and the abbey of St. Martial laid the groundwork for many important developments in music, including polyphony, rhythmic notation, and metrical organization of melody. This recording features 16 works from this period, by both known composers at Notre Dame--Leonin and Perotin--and unknown ones working in monastic anonymity at St. Martial. Although relatively austere and harmonically limited, these revolutionary pieces-- inspired in part by the majesty of the new cathedral buildings built during the 12th century--have an incredible range of emotion, from passionate declamations to intensely moving florid lines. The performances by Paul Hillier and his superb singers are resonant, warm, dynamic, and rhythmically exciting, recorded with spacious sound that preserves the detail of the vocal parts. --David Vernier

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CD Reviews

Very nice selection of very early music.
B. Marold | Bethlehem, PA United States | 12/23/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)

"'The Age of Cathedrals' by the Theature of Voices directed by porminant vocal director, Paul Hillier is a very good collection on Latin liturgical music written for the Paris Notre Dame cathedral.



As a layman when it comes to early music, I am simply reporting on how enjoyable I find this album compared to other recordings of early liturgical works. In general I find two weaknesses. First, it is done entirely with male voices and second, the collection of tracks do not constitute a full mass, but fragments of music for various festivals and monastic activities.



If you simply like some old music, I would suggest some of the albums by Sequentia which includes some instruments and some female voices. If you are a died in the wool liturgical wonk, you will love this album."