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Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It would be impossible to adequately describe the inherent haunting beauty of Perotin's music, or to fully detail its far-reaching influence in latter-12th-century France. The opening "Viderunt omnes" is a perfect illustration of the surprising vitality and highly charged sense of forward motion that can be obtained with relatively simple rhythmic impulses and harmonic devices. The male voices of the Hilliard Ensemble generate an electrifying resonance that vibrates everything in the room that's not solid or nailed down. You can literally feel this music, ringing with natural harmonics and set to body-moving rhythms. Yes, it's religious music, intended for lofty cathedral spaces; but it moves, and it's moving, and this recording gives it to you full blast. --David Vernier
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CD
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
44 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Mark Swinton
Format:Audio CD
Perotin (or Magister Perotinus) was at the forefront of polyphony as it emerged in the twelfth century, together with Leonin (Magister Leoninus). Paul Hillier's scholarly sleeve notes describe the processes at work in his music far better than a short review could; suffice it to say that the style of some of the organum pieces has influenced many a twentieth century composer, including the minimalist Steve Reich, whose views are quoted in the notes. Perotin is not the only composer represented in the programme - some of the pieces are anonymous, although this does not detract from their musical strength in any way.
In a nutshell, the organum works are founded on plainchant, which is sung as part of the performance. Some voices sing the chant in extremely long note values, so that the progressions of the melody are hard to distinguish. Meanwhile, higher voices dance through a series of rhythmically-charged motifs, overlapping with each other and producing an astonishing alternation of dissonances and consonances, breathtaking to hear. The opening piece, the Christmas motet "Viderunt omnes," is a particularly fine example of this.
Other works in the programme sound closer to the sound world of Guillaume de Machaut: "Dum signillium" and "Veni Creator spiritus" are two such pieces, the former sung by tenors John Potter and Rogers Covey-Crump whilst the latter adds counter-tenor David James. Another short motet, "Isaias cecinit," repeats the same material for new verses of text, like a hymn tune with a descant at the end. I believe these three to be the most wonderful in the programme; especially, "Veni Creator" has a timelessness about it, enhanced by magical singing and the strong acoustics of Boxgrove Priory - one can almost imagine being in another century listening to this. Another fine moment is the chant "Beata viscera," powerfully sung by David James to a wordless drone.
As early music recordings go, this one has much to commend it: masterful singing in a wonderfully atmospheric venue, excellent sound quality, thoughtful programming that sets long beside short and quiet beside loud. It is glorious music from first to last - truly wonderful!
61 of 64 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I bought the Hilliard Ensemble's Perotin recording after reading the section on the evolution of medieval music from plainsong to organum in Grout's history of Western music. Grout praises Perotin's music, and this recording shows that praise to be well justified. The music is magnificent: dark, rich, full of mystery and awe, quintessentially medieval in sound. The Hilliard Ensemble's interpretations are superb and capture all the richness and power of this great idiom. The music communicates the reverance, awe, and, even fear, that the people of the Middle Ages must have felt in approaching a God who, after thousands of years of silence to most of the world, had revealed Himself to His creation. The Viderunt omnes, Veni creator spiritus and beata viscera are particularly fine, the Viderunt being possibly the finest surviving music of the age. I also highly recommend the Hilliard Ensemble recordings of Medieval English music, Walter Frye, the Machaut Mass, Gesauldo Responsoria, and Tallis. I also own Paul Hillier's recording, "The Age of Cathedrals" with his American ensemble, The Theatre of Voices, and value it highly.
28 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By S. Gustafson
Format:Audio CD
The overall audio effect of this disc is truly haunting and otherworldly. The rich recording and the skilful use of vocal drones make you feel as if you are in a vast and dark cathedral, lit only by stained glass and candlelight.
This is an excellent performance. Though recorded by many other ensembles, the -Beata Viscera- on this record is soaring and definitive.
This record would be appreciated, not only by confirmed early music fans, but by those who love all other sorts of slow and ethereal music. The harmonies are beautiful, and even sound somewhat edgy to the contemporary ear, largely because the modal melodies and open fifths do not map easily into our expectations for major or minor keys.
This is an excellent performance. Though recorded by many other ensembles, the -Beata Viscera- on this record is soaring and definitive.
This record would be appreciated, not only by confirmed early music fans, but by those who love all other sorts of slow and ethereal music. The harmonies are beautiful, and even sound somewhat edgy to the contemporary ear, largely because the modal melodies and open fifths do not map easily into our expectations for major or minor keys.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perotin
This was a recording of unusual medieval religious music from around the 13th Century. The sound is very haunting to me and has fascinated me since I first heard it. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Walter A. Dryja
5.0 out of 5 stars
Otherworldly and Stunningly Beautiful
I heard a piece on Perotin on NPR, and was stunned by the beauty of this recording. I now own it, and it has been in heavy rotation within the context of my daily life. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Adam
5.0 out of 5 stars
Empyreal, Polyphonic and Rhythmic
I'll try not to repeat any information in the other reviews. I'll hold off adding to the plethora of laudatory adjectives already given (and well deserved) and say... Read more
Published on April 4, 2011 by Sir Pentor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Music of remarkably innovative form--and 800 years old
This disc came as quite a surprise. I'm not usually interested in early music, but a release from ECM New Series and with the Hilliard Ensemble seemed like a safe bet. Read more
Published on October 29, 2009 by Christopher Culver
5.0 out of 5 stars
It Sounds Like Steve Reich But Eight Centuries Too Eerly
I recently picked up the Hilliard Ensemble's performance of the late twelfth-century choral music of Perotin, the first composer to be known by name in the West, and a CD of... Read more
Published on February 26, 2009 by David Keymer
5.0 out of 5 stars
From the Middle Ages
Actually I came to the first
piece in this recording by chance.
I first heard the organum "Viderunt Omnes"
on an "re-working" for string quartet performed
by... Read more
piece in this recording by chance.
I first heard the organum "Viderunt Omnes"
on an "re-working" for string quartet performed
by... Read more
Published on December 30, 2008 by P. Alvarez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Absolutely stunning!
I am a musical novice. I was brought up listening to Pink Floyd, Santana, Joni Mitchell, and so on. I could not read music to save my life. Read more
Published on June 23, 2005 by Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Perotin Recording.
Perotin was a 12th century composer in Paris at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. We know almost nothing about him. Read more
Published on June 15, 2005 by Tobin Sparfeld
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magnificent
This is a great recording. Anyone who has the least interest in serious music should be familiar with Perotin's works, just as they would with all the "greatest" composers. Read more
Published on January 27, 2005 by James Warner
5.0 out of 5 stars
the Perotin cd
I think tihs is simply the best Perotin cd you can have. The vocal quality is much more fluid (& knowledgeably middle-agey) than any other Perotin recordings I've heard.
Published on April 10, 2003 by I X Key
