Polyphonies oubliées (Lost polyphony)

Faux-bourdons from the 16th-19th Centuries

Maîtrise de Toulouse & Ensemble Gilles Binchois, Dominique Vellard

From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, plainchant was sung polyphonically all over Europe in a great variety of ways. It is no exaggeration to say that for centuries it epitomised the sound of church music for congregations. Faux-bourdon was a means of solemnising the Divine Office by embellishing the plainchant melody. This double CD featuring Dominique Vellard and the Ensemble Gilles Binchois is the result of four years’ work – four years, during which several thousand manuscript and printed examples were identified. It offers a selection of this music that reflects the variety and diversity of four centuries of French polyphonic plainchant. Dominique Vellard has been the inspirational driving force behind the Ensemble Gilles Binchois – more than three decades of research and performance that have led to the creation of some essential recordings in the field of medieval and early Renaissance music.

March 2015

Ensemble Gilles Binchois prove their flexibility stepping outside their usual sound world for the thick harmonies of the 19th century. Intonation, expression and ensemble remain an impeccable constant, and character and variety are aided by the contributions of the children's choir Maitrise de Toulouse.