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Adieu vous di - Ensemble Fortuna

Adieu vous di - Ensemble Fortuna

Aliud  ACD HD 026-2

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical


"Adieu vous di - Ars Nova of the Low Countries"

Ensemble Fortuna


The 14th Century is a time of stark contrasts. In the musical world, refinements in musical notation offer composers previously unknown possibilities for musical expression, and encourage them to experiment extensively with rhythm, counterpoint, and text expression. These experiments lead literally to a new musical art form, Ars Nova. Adieu vous di is the general theme of almost all of this repertoire.

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Review by John Miller - May 26, 2011

In the time-line of musical history, the Ars Nova ("New Technique" style) refers to developments in the C14th of early polyphonic music which originated in C12th Paris (Ars Antiqua). The new developments were centered in the Low Countries and gradually spread across Europe, heralding the Golden Age of polyphony, both sacred and secular, in the late Renaissance.

Fortuna are an ensemble dedicated to performing music of this period, taking into consideration the latest scholarship in interpreting the ancient manuscripts where musical notation methods were still developing. With uncertain note values, no bar lines, expression marks or indications of tempo and dynamics, this requires the intuitive application of musical skill at its highest level. Fortuna, comprising a tenor and a soprano with instrumentalists on recorder, lute and vielle, use the underlying poetic texts to bring the music to life in a modern context.

Of the 16 tracks on this disc, only three pieces are by named composers, the others are anonymous contributors to often fragmentary codices and manuscripts from sources in the Low Countries. All are secular forms such as chansons, ballades and rondeaux, and deal with the turbulent state of Europe after Crusading ended at the turn of the C13th. It was a period swept by deadly plagues, the social and political ruptures of the Hundred Years war between England and France and religious strife following the shocking schism between the Roman Catholic and eastern Orthodox churches. Nevertheless, this was a period of great advances in philosophy, literature and the graphic arts as well as music.

The texts of the music on this disc refer to a chivalric world of courtly love, often unrequited or unattainable. They are in old French, the universal language of the nobility at the time. Rather than attempt full multi-language translations, Aliud have adopted a helpful space-saving compromise in including the the original texts in the booklet, with brief summaries of the contents of each in English, Dutch, French and German, a good compromise.

As one of the most prominent and influential composers in the Ars Nova movement, Guilliaume de Machaut (c. 1300-1377) is featured not only by one of his rondeaux, but by stealth - many of the other pieces were inspired by or quote his music. Francis Andrieu (fl. 1350-1377) wrote a famous musical epitaph for him, which, far from being an elegy, is a joyous celebration of his work, sung and played here most movingly by Fortuna.

With a range of vocal and instrumental textures, always pure and simple, omitting the disturbing battery of percussion which invaded Medieval music barely a few decades ago, Fortuna bring forth the intimacy of courtly music in all its very human expression. They are placed in a gently resonant acoustic, effectively simulating the atmosphere of a baronial hall, with a convincing balance which has the singers at subtly varying locations and distances from the microphones. This is art which conceals art, and I found it a deeply involving and enjoyable concert. A wonderful introduction to Ars Nova, which draws the listener down through the centuries to experience something more powerful than mere written history. Highly recommended!

Copyright © 2011 John Miller and HRAudio.net

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