Perotin

I don't know whether or not this music is an "authentic" reproduction of the works of Perotin and Leonin. I'm not even sure I really care!What's important is that the music on this CD is heart-stoppingly beautiful without ever getting all New Age-y or sweet. There are passages - and you'll discover them for yourself, they won't necessarily be the same as mine - when you won't want to move in case you disturb the stillness in the air.Forget the age: this is music for a scared world to hear.

Very pleased with the quality and sound of this Cd. Previously had other CDs of the Hilliard Ensemble. They set a high standard.

Love it!

My Dad loved this. He has listened to the Hilliard ensemble before but rates this very highly. Haunting and atmospheric.

I should be grateful to the Hilliard Ensemble and this disc, for it was one of the recordings which several years ago served as my introduction to early music and helped me fall in love with it. However it is a disc I do not listen to very much these days, not because there is anything to dislike here, but simply because over the years of collecting other discs of material from the School of Notre Dame I have discovered performances which I enjoy more, by Orlando Consort, Tonus Peregrinus, Red Byrd, Ensemble Organum, Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Diabolus In Musica and so on.So you can't go at all wrong with this disc, but bear in mind that there are many other recordings of these and similar works which, to my mind at least, are superior. You may wish to explore others instead or even as well as this.The booklet has some notes which I didn't find as helpful in describing the nature of the music as those with some of the other discs I have mentioned. Latin sung texts are given but without translation.

This item is Excellent, the recording is superb! The Hilliard ensemble have an outstanding reputation, and excelled on this occasion, highly recommended!

It is almost impossible for us at this end of the second millennium to grasp the tremendous outpouring of creative talent that resulted in the buildings, art, poetry, and music of the beginning of the same millennium - but The Hilliard Ensemble do try to make it a little easier for us.Perotin, called `Perotinus the Great' by one visiting Englishman of the time, is a perfect starting point for a journey back into that lost world - and into the acoustic pleasures of this fine music.Based in plainchant - the singing of the Latin text in a flowing, one note at a time melody - Perotin's music frequently takes a small section of the text and adds extra notes - sometimes from two voices, sometimes from four.In its simplest form, one note is like the `drone' of the bagpipe - held for a long time - and the other bounces along on top of it. (I'm reminded when I listen to this type of tune of a deep, slow, cool river flowing majestically along, whilst a red, armour-plated dragonfly zooms and bounces above it, hunting.)There is a wonderful sense of fun in this - it is easy to imagine a group of choristers playing with the sound and trying to co-ordinate their `bounces' - a bit like putting together a sequence of passes on the football field.Another aspect of Perotin, as shown in his Beata viscera (track 8), is a deep felt reverence for all things religious, especially the Virgin Mary. Irritatingly, the booklet doesn't provide any translations so it is easy to miss the absolute beauty of the text - but not the music. In a free flowing wave of sound, the words of the poem are hoisted to heaven - like watching a sky lark.What the Hilliard Ensemble bring to all this is a strength, a certainty of sound and a purity of line that originates as much in their work on contemporary music as it does on older traditions. And this is what makes this CD stand out - it is as much about today as it is about 900 years ago.As the booklet points out, Perotin has influenced the likes of Steve Reich.If you like minimalism, you'll love this - Perotin, takes a simple idea and fills a vast space - in his case, Notre-Dame Cathedral.

I have had this CD for over 15 years and have enjoyed listening to it thoughout. It's easily my most listened to Cd ever. Recommeded to anyone who loves ancient polyphonic music and if you're into modern minimal music you'll probably enjoy it just as much.