Echoes from an Old Hall

Later medieval music for six singers

Perhaps the most important source of late medieval sacred music from England is the Old Hall Manuscript, dating from around the beginning of the 15th century and compiled for use at the Old Hall at Ware, a small town about 40km north of London. Our programme explores and celebrates the magnificent music from this manuscript.

Until the late 14th century most medieval English composers had remained anonymous; here for the first time some are named - Leonel Power and John Dunstaple, the major figures of the day, featuring largely. The majority of the collection is made up of individual mass movements. We present a selection of these together with plainchant, opening and closing the first half with spectacular Glorias by Pycard and Power, masterpieces of the medieval era.

For the second half we move to Flanders, France and Spain and the continental response to Power and Dunstaple, both of whom were widely revered in Northern Europe. From Dufay we have Ave regina celorum, a piece so close to his own heart that in his will he stipulated that it be performed at his deathbed. Secular works by Binchois, Dufay and Haucourt make up the central group in this half and we finish with Pierre de la Rue's great six voice motet Pater de caelis Deus       .

Interspersed throughout the programme are four plainchant Marian antiphons which are traditionally sung in the evening at the end of the office of Compline. As these echoes from the Old Hall come down to us today, we can only marvel at the richness of the art of music in the late middle ages.

You can listen to the following pieces from this programme:

• Sanctus à 4 (Power)       
• Dueil angoisseux