Netherlands School: Dunstable, Binchois, Dufay

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

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....

I have the Dufay-Dunstable one on LP. I love everything I've heard (admittedly not much) from Pro Cantione Antiqua. Their Ockeghem Requiem is a near-desert island album for me.

[The new erato]

I have the Dufay-Dunstable one on LP. I love everything I've heard (admittedly not much) from Pro Cantione Antiqua. Their Ockeghem Requiem is a near-desert island album for me.

Try their Lassus Penitential Psalm. A desert island disc.

[Drasko]

I have the Dufay-Dunstable one on LP. I love everything I've heard (admittedly not much) from Pro Cantione Antiqua. Their Ockeghem Requiem is a near-desert island album for me.

Try their Lassus Penitential Psalm. A desert island disc.

In other words this box is really due for reissue:



http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4456672

[San Antone]

In other words this box is really due for reissue:



http://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4456672

It is on Spotify and should be available as a download.  If that is of interest.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Try their Lassus Penitential Psalm. A desert island disc.

Is this it?

http://www.discogs.com/sell/release/6933263?ev=rb

[The new erato]

yes

[PeterWillem]

I've been listening music fanatically since my childhood and after I've been addicted (in random chronology) to things like classic  rock (from Buddy Holly to The Smashing Pumpkins), electronic (from Stockhausen to Aphex Twin), opera (from Monteverdi to Britten), folk music (from Georgia polyphony to modern Greek's europop star Glykeria), symphonic stuff (from Beethoven to Schnittke) and some others...it's only when I had discovered Dufay's isorhytmic motets and masses, Binchois chansons and sacred works and finally - English polyphony from Old Hall manuscript (+ cypriot-french music from J.II.9 manuscript from early XVth century also) that I have found something which sounds so transcendent and incredibly inspired that listening to it seems like a unreal experience.

Let's come back down to earth. There were some good recordings mentioned here but we should add a few more. My FLAC and cds collection includes (almost everything I have you can find on qobuz.com & hyperion-records.co.uk):

Click it to see it bigger


1. The Binchois Consort - you can't go wrong with any of their recordings. Understanding of the melody and singing technique is just perfect.  Music for St James the Greater is really good for starters as some hit music is here: just listen to Alleluia or Apostolo Glorioso motet.

Their boss is PhD in Birmingham. He made an interesting book about polyphonic mass history:


2. Hilliard Ensemble - same situation as with TBC. Grab every of five their classic recordings of early XVth century. Just listen to Amen from Credo (4th track) of their Power cd. If you're not a Christian at this point, you would probably be converted in a seconds when you hear those last few lines.

3. Ensemble Musica Nova and their interpretations of Dufay's individual sacred works + few motets:

Caroline Megalhaes (or/and Christel Boiron) delivers magnificent version of Salve Flos and Flos Florum motets. Other recordings from this team are also recommended (Machaut, Desprez).

4. Ensemble Gilles Binchois - I think they made 4 recordings of early XVth repertoire. I've got three and all of them are outstanding. I'm very into Dominique Vellard's emotional voice.

This one I don't have yet since it's not available in FLAC anywhere:
http://www.harmonicclassics.com/album/H_CD_8719/

5. Huelgas Ensemble - if you need only one cd of Dufay's works - this is the one. Huelgas Ensemble is a first-rate early music group so you don't have to worry about anything here. And these isorhytmic motets is a great opportunity to hook you up with this repertoire.

6. Orlando Consort - another group which I don't need to introduce you to. Dunstable was Dufay's guru and this recording shows you why.

6. The Medieval Ensemble of London - what can you say about 5 cd collection of Dufay's works? Probably the most famous recording of them all in this repertoire.

7. Gothic Voices - mainly they recorded various compilations of medieval/renaissance music which you can like or not. So in this case early XVth century music is usually mixed with some french ars nova stuff. Recommended though since it's an all-star group.

8. La Reverdie - a group which is specialized in italian repertoire but since Dufay spent some time in Italy they recorded two Dufay recordings as well. I like their secular works interpretations. Mass sounds a bit light-weighted for me since La Reverdie uses instruments for some of the voices.

9. Norin, Cook, Ansorg - this cd is an excellent choice for a introduction to secular music of the Burgundian School. Lena Norin is a real star in early music so you can buy this without hesitating. Instrumental parts are very good also. The only shortcomings here are a bit slow tempos and Randal Cook's childish complaints about the modern world in his essay ("our planet is dying", "money is evil" and stuff like that ). And interesting thing here that they use the "Du Fay" spelling in the booklet.

10. Pomerium, Oxford Camerata, Cantica Simphonia, Cappella Pratensis - grab these titles only if you can stand the Dufay in slow-motion. I like the Pomerium recording a lot since it's recorded with a great spatial sound so you can easily immerse yourself in polyphonic textures.

11. The Consort of Musicke - another classic recording which most of you already have.

12. Discantus - this women-only group recording is recommended also but I have to confess I needed some time to accustom to those high-pitched voices and...bells. If you can stand this you will be rewarded with some amazing Binchois' sacred music hard to find anywhere else.

13. Cappella Romana - this is a nice surprise since it's mainly a byzantine choir. All four Dufay motets here sounds interesting with these strong voices. And of course, byzantine chant is always something good to listen to.

14. Graindelavoix - realy great sounding recording with some Ensemble Organum-like singing and nicely-played instruments. Highly recommended.

15. The Clemencic Consort - a Munrow-like stuff with plethora of instruments and some retro-style singing. I don't like the masses cd but Binchois is a must have. Not only cause Gerard Lesne is here but for some great playing also. Just listen to their interpretation of one of Binchois' greatest hits Triste Plaisir - too bad it's not on YouTube.

16. Tetraktys - I've tried hardly but I cannot stand Jill Feldman (remember Mala Punica?) over-emotional voice and slow tempos. To be honest I think their Codex Chantilly records are horrbile.

17. Diabolus in Musica, Capella Antiqua Muenchen, Chiaroscuro Ensemble, Ensemble Unicorn - I haven't listened to them that much to say anything.

18. Pro Cantione Antiqua - already mentioned in this thread. You can grab this in FLAC here:
http://www.qobuz.com/fr-fr/album/the-flowering-of-renaissance-choral-music-pro-cantione-antiqua-london-bruno-turner/0002894456672

[bhodges]

Thank you, J.II.9, for this comprehensive - and helpful - inaugural post, and for including some context (your admirably diverse listening habits). Welcome to GMG, and enjoy!

--Bruce

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

All these suggestions look great, esp. some of the LPs. Welcome J.II.9 and thanks for your post.

I am curious about Discogs--have you had good experiences buying from them? I have poked around the site a bit, but the search function never seems to turn up what I'm looking for--even for ordinary things I'm sure they have.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I am curious about Discogs--have you had good experiences buying from them? I have poked around the site a bit, but the search function never seems to turn up what I'm looking for--even for ordinary things I'm sure they have.

If you're asking me, I can't say, since I have yet to buy anything from them. I haven't had any notable problems with their search function.

If I'm looking for vinyl, the first place I go is Irvington Music, an Oregon-based vendor with which my experiences have been good.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I am curious about Discogs--have you had good experiences buying from them? I have poked around the site a bit, but the search function never seems to turn up what I'm looking for--even for ordinary things I'm sure they have.

OK, I can answer this now.

I've ordered a few items from Discogs sellers over the last year. In every case, it was fine - the record was as described, and I received it as ordered. The only slightly negative thing is that they seem to take at least a week to ship after you order it. But if you don't mind waiting, it's not a problem.

[Mandryka]

.
[asin]B0074DXR4M[/asin]
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:

[asin]B000B6N67M[/asin]
?
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.

Re Tonus Peregrinus, what do you make of their Missa Tournai?

You may also like to try Clemencic's Dunstable CD - it's very good IMO (apart from a rather faceless organ in alternatim)