Although Medieval Christmas celebrations primarily consisted of over-eating, flirtation, hunting and drinking, each day began with a mass. Sacred and secular traditions and customs were often intertwined as part of a season of celebration which culminated with the feast of the Epiphany. On this new CD, the Orlando Consort offers an unusual & wide-ranging collection of secular and liturgical music from England, France and the Low Countries. To read the texts of these pieces is to un-knot the various traditions that are otherwise confused by today's pick-and-mix carol concerts. While not strictly chronological, the disc is divided into five sections - Prophecy, New Year's Day, The Carol, Narrative Motets and Noel - which illustrate key themes of the music of this period. |
