Diabolus In Musica

Dufay - Mille Bonjours!

Guillaume Dufay is one of the key representatives of the French musical genius. His masterful work is a comprehensive and brilliant apotheosis of the middle ages. During his long career, the master from Cambrai gave us not only an impressive series of motets and masses, but also more than 80 profane songs, gems of melodic, rhythmic and poetic creativity. These small masterpieces show extreme refinement and an extraordinary command of counterpoint.Whatever the form, ballade, rondeau, bergerette or motet-song, the expression remains surprisingly natural and exquisitely simple. Most of these songs hail lightness of mind, joy, optimism, modestly restrained amorous pleasure, though some are melancholic or dwell on more austere feelings.

Paris Expers Paris (Paris eithout Equal)

1170 - 1240

The programme centres on the impressive Christmas response Descendit de Caelis, alternating long polyphonic melismas, probably by Pérotin, and Gregorian melodies enriched with solo prose sections.The other pieces illustrate the possibilities that were being explored by the composers of the Notre Dame School in the thirteenth century: from 1 to 4 parallel voices, Pérotin being the first composer to write in 4 parts.

La Doce Acordance - The Sweet Accord

Chansons de trouvères (XIIe & XIIIe siècles)

Dufay: Missa Se la face ay pale

Honi soit qui mal y pense !

Polyphony of Royal English Chapels of the 14th Century

Carmina Gallica

Latin songs of the 12th century

Dufay: Missa Se la face ay pale

When this reference version came out in 2004, it was awarded both a ‘Choc’ of the Monde de la Musique and a ‘Diapason d'or’ for the year. It fully reflects the very high quality standards expected from the collaboration between between Alpha and the ensemble Diabolus in Musica. Guillaume Dufay [1400-74] was the most important composer of the 15th century. He was widely recognised as his works were performed during his many travels. At the end of his life he was considered as one of the major artists in any field of his century, notwithstanding Brunelleschi, Charles D'Orléans, François Villon and so many others. Se la face ay pale is the first of four masses written during his maturity. It marks the resounding apotheosis of medieval music, while it also announces the dawn of the Renaissance.