Classical Music II

[hectorberlioz]

Era: Mediaval
Type: Vocal/Choral
Composer: Guilliame de Machaut
Work: Messe de Notre Dame

The composer is Guilliame de Machaut, a mediaval poet/composer (back in the day when those two were inextricably fused), and the work is the justly famous and admired Messe de Notre Dame.
This is truly funky music. If you thought The Beatles were revolutionary in music, think again. The Messe de Notre Dame is like the rock 'n' roll of mediaval music. This work is mostly famous because it is the first mass written by a known composer (most others were single or jointly signed "Anonymous"). The sound you'll hear is a very "forward" kind of chanting that throws you for a loop...it doesn't "go" the way you think it will. It's a strange--just "strange"-- sound at first, but the more you listen, the more radical and exciting it becomes.
The recording I recommend is the recording performed by the Hilliard Ensemble, directed by Paul Hiller, on the Hyperion label. The CD also contains two other works by Machaut, the last track particularly contains a work that I can't get out of my head.
If you thought or still think that "chanting is boring", then you obviously haven't heard this stuff.
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