Search - Hildegard von Bingen, John Dunstable, Johannes Brassart :: Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179): Lieder und Antiphonen

An enjoyable bargain

Marian R. Van Til | Lewiston, NY United States | 09/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Though Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179) is the composer most prominently displayed on the CD cover, she's the odd person out here; not because she's the only woman composer among the four represented, but because she lived three centuries before Dufay, Dunstable and Brassart, and because those three were known to each other and had direct stylistic connections to each other. Dunstable, who was probably the first to write instrumental accompaniment for church music (e.g., Track 3 here), influenced Dufay, as well as the lesser known Brassart. This performance is fairly "traditional" as as early music performances go these days. It contains none of (presumably) authentically edgy singing and the microtonal maneuvering of groups like Marcel Peres Ensemble Organum. The recording acoustic is also much drier than is often now heard -- which is either a plus or a minus, depending on your tastes and how big a church or cathedral you want to picture while listening! But the singing here is clear, bell-like, competent and enjoyable. And at this price, the more so!"