Netherlands School: Dunstable, Binchois, Dufay

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

What recordings would do you recommend, and, which works of these composers do you find most compelling?

[North Star]

Can't help with Binchois or Dunstable, but these are certainly among the best Dufay recordings.
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[Drasko]

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Missa Rex seculorum plus selection of motets sung by Orlando Consort is the Dunstaple disc for me, though has to be said we are not exactly spoilt for choice, there is a fine disc of motets by Hilliards and a disc I haven't heard on Naxos and that's about it.

I'll second the above mentioned Dufay Missa Se la face ay pale by Diabolus in Musica.

[Drasko]

Though my favorite composer of Burgundian School is the more ecstatic, and dare I say flamboyant, Antoine Busnois (Busnoys) and especially his Missa L'homme arme (first of its name) which is one of my favorite early music pieces altogether. There is a fine older recording by Pro Cantione Antiqua quite hard to find these days but more recent recording by The Binchois Consort is every bit as good:

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The Binchois Consort also has whole series of Dufay recordings on Hyperion which are definitely worth checking out.

[The new erato]

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That one. Probably because it was that mass (under Munrow) that was my initiation to real early music.

There are lots - really lots - of superb recordings of this repertoire. I have an extremely busy schedule for a few days, and maybe will come back later. Pipelare by The Sound and the Fury is a recent favorite, Capella Pratensis inder Stratton Bull also sems unable to thread wrongly in this repertoire to name a few. Buy the van Nevel Box on Sony for other favorites.

Is Dunstable Netherlands School? British, though I guess he was heavily influenced?

[Drasko]

Is Dunstable Netherlands School? British, though I guess he was heavily influenced?

I had the impression that when XB-70 Valkyrie said Netherlands and specifically mentioned Dunstable, Binchois, Dufay what he meant by it is Burgundian School, which was the first phase of Franco-Flemish polyphony and of which Dunstable was indeed part.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burgundian_School

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

What recordings would do you recommend, and, which works of these composers do you find most compelling?

I highly recommend the David Munrow anthology Art of the Netherlands. If you still have LP capability, I recommend getting the LP set, since the CD reissue leaves out a whole side of instrumental music.

I had the impression that when XB-70 Valkyrie said Netherlands and specifically mentioned Dunstable, Binchois, Dufay what he meant by it is Burgundian School, which was the first phase of Franco-Flemish polyphony and of which Dunstable was indeed part.

The term "Netherlands" is a bit misleading, as almost none of this music derives from the territory of the country that now bears that name. Almost all of it comes from present-day Belgium and northern France.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I highly recommend the David Munrow anthology Art of the Netherlands. If you still have LP capability, I recommend getting the LP set, since the CD reissue leaves out a whole side of instrumental music.

Whoops...I just realized that, given the composers you asked about, what you really want is Munrow's other anthology The Art of Courtly Love. This focuses on Dufay, Binchois, Machaut, and the fascinating "14th Century Avant-Garde." Netherlands focuses on composers like Josquin, Obrecht, and Ockeghem.

What the hell - get both.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

For Dufay, the Isorhythmic Motets - some of the most complex music of the Renaissance:

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am surprised that so many of you are familiar with and enjoy this repertoire. The term "Netherlands School" comes from Alfred Einstein's book A Short History of Music:

These three, Dunstable, Binchois, and Dufay are commonly grouped together under the title of "The First Netherland School."

Of course, this is a very old book, and, as some of you mention, these composers did not come from that region.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Of course, this is a very old book, and, as some of you mention, these composers did not come from that region.

In the literal sense, it's not wrong. "Netherlands" is historically just another way of saying "Low Countries." This applies e.g. to terms like "Early Netherlandish Painting," which refers mostly to artists active in Flanders, as opposed to the later Dutch Masters featured on the cigar box.

. I am surprised that so many of you are familiar with and enjoy this repertoire.

I'm surprised you're surprised - this is one of the great periods in the history of Western music.

[The new erato]

We're the elite amongst the nerds.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

We're the elite amongst the nerds.

Then that is double the nerdiness, which is kind of scary.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Triple nerdiness if you consider that I play LP recordings of early music/early polyphony on my Oracle Delphi/SME V turntable. It helps me to solve partial differential equations in my head. 

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Triple nerdiness if you consider that I play LP recordings of early music/early polyphony on my Oracle Delphi/SME V turntable.

Then allow me to recommend the Telefunken "Das Alte Werk" LP set from the 1970s, Musik der Dürerzeit. The fact that it has never been reissued renders it worthy of at least quadruple nerdiness:

http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/tld11515.htm

[San Antone]

Two good ones -

Binchois: Chansons, Ensemble Gilles Binchois

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Le Codex de Saint Emmeram, Stimmwerck

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[DaveF]

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The Dunstable half of this is wonderful (I'm sure the Power is too, but I only have the single disc).  Perhaps most beautiful of all, to my ears, is Salve scema sanctitatis.

Does anyone know this:

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?
I haven't bought or listened yet, as other Tonus Peregrinus discs have left me disappointed, none more than their Eton Choirbook one, which adopts a bafflingly anachronistic approach to accidentals.

[The new erato]

Triple nerdiness if you consider that I play LP recordings of early music/early polyphony on my Oracle Delphi/SME V turntable. It helps me to solve partial differential equations in my head. 

I'm actually giving a 3 hour lecture on differential equations at the local business university in a weeks time......

[Drasko]

Triple nerdiness if you consider that I play LP recordings of early music/early polyphony on my Oracle Delphi/SME V turntable. It helps me to solve partial differential equations in my head. 

Since you have a turntable you can consider these as well:

 

[The new erato]

Since you have a turntable you can consider these as well:

 

I have those. Wonderful, wonderful albums, lush covers, extensive documentation, real luxury products. While I really appreciate digital playback, the world doen't necessarily advance on all fronts....