Chantilly Codex -- A medieval music thread

I think I talked about ars nova/subtilior somewhere here before -- something about it being fantastic palate cleanser when a bit dulled by music or something. I stand by that, but it's very faint and utilitarian praise; I love the way it sounds in itself, and that the exploration of harmony etc done X hundred years ago still feels pretty edgy often! (Also the occasional playfulness, riddles etc appeal mightily to me, as a sucker for puzzles.)

I've wondered for YEARS whether ars n/s harmony is translatable to pop.

(nb for the record I don't know this album as such)

Its one of those records that you're so confident of its greatness that you almost don't need to hear it, but of course no one listens to records to merely confirm how great they are. Wanted to post more last night -- According to wiki (damn the haters -- lets us healthily distrust it, not entirely dismiss it), its a book w/112 songs! There is something incredibly magical about this, isn't there? Its a shame it isn't all recorded. Maybe it would dampen my enthusiasm, tho' I suspect that there are no lame songs here.

You're right though its too easy to get caught up in this, something was lost here for all time that oughta be taken up again, but can't be because its simply a different era, and there is something quite sad about that. Or what if you're jaded, although I came to it through reading about music from the renaissance, and how many composers working today that I happen to like seem to love Madrigals and the like. So I think its also v translatable to certain currents - that happen to be my fave currents - in new classical music. I hear an audible link that I'm unable to detail to any degree right now.

As for pop -- Kate Bush's "Bertie" is my favourite track from her last album (well its the only one I remember at all as I liked it so much that I ended up playing the shit out of it), but I'd love to know if she's heard this, wouldn't be surprise at all if she wasn't an admirer.

Also those tracks by "Anon" add yet another layer to this record.

Yeah Anon is one of the greats! :)

I wouldn't be surprised if some jazz has toyed with devices from this music, but then I'm clueless about jazz.

Re the Wiki page: oh the Cordier heart is in there! I know that one, plus some Machaut.

btw Here is the "Belle, Bonne, Sage" score in more glorious resolution than that on the 'pedia.