Guillaume de Machaut: La Messe de Notre Dame

Guillaume de Machaut: La Messe de Nostre Dame

Ensemble Organum - Marcel Pérès, dir.
Harmonia mundi HMC 901590 [CD]
Harmonia Mundi « Gold » HMG 501590 [CD]

HMC 901590 has been only released packaged with a bonus CD Marcel Pérès – Portrait as a 2 CDs set.

Contents:

Guillaume de Machaut, Reims, BM Ms 264: Messe de Notre Dame

1. Introit: Suscepimus Deus misericordiam tuum
2. Kyrie
3. Gloria
4. Gradual: Suscepimus Deus misericordiam tuum
5. Alleluia: Adorabo ad templum sanctum
6. Credo
7. Offertoire: Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis
8. Préface: Vere dignum et justum est
9. Sanctus
10. Agnus Dei
11. Communion: Responsum accepit Symeon
12. Ite missa est - Deo gratias

Sources:
[1], [4]-[5], [7]-[8], [11] Reims, BM Ms 254 (chant)
[2]-[3], [6], [9]-[10], [12] Ordinary by Guillaume de Machaut

Playing time: 56' 36"

Performers:
Ensemble Organum
Jérôme Casalonga, Jean-Etienne Langianni, François Barbalozi, Jean-Pierre Lanfranchi, Frédéric Richard, Malcolm Bothwell, Marcel Pérès, Antoine Sicot
Marcel Pérès, dir.

Recording site and date:
Reims Cathedral, France [11/1995];
Rel.: 1996

Excerpts:
[1]-[7], [12] Harmonia Mundi "Century" HMX 290 8168 [CD] Une révolution de l'esprit et de la musique (XIVe siècle) / An intellectual revolution in music - Le siècle de l'Ars nova / Ars Nova, A Revolution in the Late Middle Ages

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.): 434-65 (february 1997)
Gramophone (Vol./#-p.): 74/885-88 (february 1997)
Fanfare (Vol./#-p.): 20/4-254 (march/april 1997)

Comments:
Information from CD. I must admit mixed feelings when comparing this version of Messe Notre-Dame with Vellard's interpretation which was my first choice (and still is). I have a higher sense of mysticism with Vellard. Maybe what sounds less familiar is the degree of ornamentation and some oriental influences. Perhaps two or three listenings may convince me. This Messe Notre Dame is at least the 21st version of this mass and the style appears very unconventional. For a complete discography of this mass see Messe Notre Dame - Discography.

To purchasing information for this disc.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.