Cathedral of Notre-Dame 

[Theme music begins]

Welcome to Harmonia . . . I’m Angela Mariani. This hour, we’re celebrating the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris with a musical and architectural tour of the cathedral. Notre-Dame was severely damaged by fire in April 2019 and, after five years of restoration, reopened in December 2024 with both sacred ceremonies and secular concert music. We’ll visit the choir stalls, climb to the organ loft, and hear music fit for the queen of heaven. Our tour will end in the cloister, where [the 12th-century French theologian] Abelard composed songs for his beloved Heloise to celebrate their forbidden love.

[Theme music fades at :59]

MUSIC TRACK

Paris expers Paris: École de Notre-Dame, 1170–1240

Diabolus in Musica; Antoine Guerber

Alpha 2008 | ALPHA102

Anonymous

Tr. 1: Benedicamus domino (4:37)

Diabolus in Musica sang the “Benedicamus domino,” featuring organum in three parts by an anonymous composer from Notre-Dame. This piece was composed around the beginning of the thirteenth century and was preserved in the collection of manuscripts known as the Magnus liber, or “Great book.” The Notre-Dame School’s innovations in music notation shifted the development of European music, with written music introducing new compositional techniques.

These days we have somewhat worn out the word “iconic,” but I don’t think it would be an overstatement to call the Cathedral of Notre-Dame   in Paris iconic in Western culture. Construction on this Gothic structure began in 1160, and Bishop Maurice de Sully, who envisioned and spearheaded the project, laid the cornerstone in 1163. Before we go inside the church, let’s listen to some secular music by Johannes Ockeghem, who was a canon of Notre-Dame [at least in name only] from 1467 to 1470. We’ll hear instrumental arrangements of two reconstructed chansons, “Se vostre cuer” and “Baisiés moy,” performed by the Medieval Ensemble of London.

MUSIC TRACK

Johannes Ockeghem: Complete Secular Music

The Medieval Ensemble of London; Peter Davies; Timothy Davies

Decca [1982] 2023 | 00028948700929 

Johannes Ockeghem

Tr. 8: Se vostre cuer eslonge (1:18) (Total time: 2:49)

Tr. 17: Baisiés moy dont fort (1:31)

We heard instrumental versions of two chansons by Johannes Ockeghem. Peter Davies and Timothy Davies led The Medieval Ensemble of London.

Notre-Dame Cathedral contains many artifacts devoted to its namesake, the Virgin Mary. A door leading into the cathedral—the Portal of the Virgin—depicts Mary’s death, assumption, and crowning as Queen of Heaven. Inside the cathedral are a 14th-century statue of the Virgin and Child and 16th-century tapestries illustrating Mary’s life. Concerning music, Cathedral composers throughout the centuries have composed countless works in Mary’s honor. Let’s head to the choir stalls where we’ll hear the conductus “Beata viscera” by the composer Perotinus, who flourished around 1200. His setting of “Beata viscera” is included in a collection (of polyphonic organum) called the Magnus liber, which is attributed to Leoninus and Perotinus and compiled around the beginning of the 13th century.

MUSIC TRACK

Perotin

The Hilliard Ensemble; Paul Hilliard

ECM Records 1989 | 00042283775121 

Perotinus

Tr. 8: Beata viscera (6:08)

Paul Hillier conducted the Hilliard Ensemble performing Perotin’s conductus, “Beata viscera.” The text of “Beata viscera” was written by Perotin’s contemporary Philip the Chancellor…who, by the way, served as a “chancellor” of Notre-Dame. 

We’ll stay in the choir stalls for this next piece, a three-voice motet by Antoine Brumel composed for the choirboys of Notre-Dame. The choirboys were subject to many rules, including this one: [quote] “Swearing should be entirely prohibited; also speaking French in the church and in the house, as well as outside.” [end quote] We’ll hear Brumel’s “Ave Maria gratia dei plena” (performed by Blue Heron).

MUSIC TRACK

Christmas & New Year’s in 15th-century France & Burgundy

Blue Heron; Scott Metcalfe

Blue Heron 2024 | BHCD1014

Antoine Brumel

Tr. 6: Ave Maria gratia dei plena (1:49)

That was Antoine Brumel’s motet, “Ave Maria gratia dei plena,” sang by Blue Heron under the direction of Scott Metcalfe.

The reopening of Notre-Dame in December 2024 began with a solemn service to commemorate [quote] “the resurrection of the cathedral.” The Archbishop of Paris, Monsignor Laurent Ulrich, awakened the “great organ” by addressing it eight times. After each address, the organ responded. This alternation between celebrant and pipe organ is an ancient liturgical practice called “alternatim.” Let’s now climb up to the organ loft to hear another piece that would have been presented in alternatim.

MUSIC TRACK

Magnificat: Two Centuries of French Organ Verses

Yves-G. Préfontaine

ATMA Classique 1996 | 00722056600729

Pierre Attaingnant

Tr. 15 Magnificat on the 8th Tone (Paris, 1531) (0:53)

Tr. 16 Magnificat on the 8th Tone: Secundus versus (Paris, 1531) (1:19)

Tr. 17 Magnificat on the 8th Tone: Tetrius versus (Paris, 1531) (1:03)

We heard three versets on the Magnificat on the 8th Tone, performed by organist Yves-G. Préfontaine. These versets were published in 1531 by Pierre Attaingnant, who was the earliest printer of French sacred keyboard music. 

You’re listening to Harmonia . . .  I’m Angela Mariani.

MUSIC TRACK

A Late Medieval Mass

Aeolos

Cantate 2020 | CAN58049

Philippe de Vitry 

Tr. 22: “In nova fert – Garrit gallus” (excerpt of 2:33)

(fades out at :59)

Welcome back. This hour, we’re commemorating the December 2024 reopening of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame of Paris by touring musical monuments from Notre-Dame’s medieval and Renaissance periods.

During this time, many altars were dedicated to Mary, and Marian antiphons were sung in the choir stalls after Compline on Saturdays and Sundays. French Renaissance composer Mathieu Sohier wrote three Marian antiphons: Ave Regina, Salve Regina, and Regina Caeli. We’ll hear his four-voice motet “Ave regina caelorum,” [sung by Odhecaton under the direction of Paolo Da Col.]

MUSIC TRACK

O gente brunette

Odhecaton; Paolo Da Col

Ramee 2009 | RAM0902

Mathieu Sohier

Tr. 2: “Ave regina caelorum” (3:53)

Mathieu Sohier’s “Ave regina caelorum,” a Marian antiphon for four parts sung by the ensemble Odhecaton, directed by Paolo Da Col.

Notre-Dame influenced music far beyond France. The Magnus liber was known across Europe, including in Rome, Spain, England, and Scotland. Pieces by Parisian composers were included in other manuscripts, such as the Codex Calixtinus at Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. In the Middle Ages, many pilgrims departed from France to the cathedral at Santiago de Compostela to worship at the shrine of St. James. Let’s hear the conductus for St. James, “Congaudeant catholici,” which the Codex Calixtinus attributes to Notre-Dame canon Albertus Stampensis. The Ensemble für frühe Musik Augsburg performs.

MUSIC TRACK

Camino de Santiago: Medieval Music on the Way of St. James

Ensemble für frühe Musik Augsburg

Christophorus 1988 | CHR77300

Albertus Stampensis (attributed)

Tr. 18: “Congaudeant catholici” (2:37)

The Ensemble für frühe Musik Augsburg performed Albertus Stampensis’s conductus, “Congaudeant catholici.”

Renaissance Flemish composer Louis van Pullaer, a master-of-music at Notre Dame, transmitted shared music between Notre-Dame and Cambrai. He wrote only one mass, the Missa Christus resurgens, based upon the motet, “Christus resurgens” by Parisian composer Jean Richafort. We’ll hear Richefort’s motet, performed by the Oxford Camerata.

MUSIC TRACK

WILLAERT: Missa Christus resurgens / Magnificat / Ave Maria

Oxford Camerata; Jeremy Summerly

Naxos 1998 | 8.553211

Jean Richafort

Tr. 1: “Christus resurgens” (4:02)

We heard Jean Richefort’s motet, “Christus resurgens,” performed by the Oxford Camerata, directed by Jeremy Summerly.

Chansons from Cambrai made their way to Paris, where they were published by Pierre Attaingnant. Likewise, masses of Parisian-based composers were used in Cambrai. One of these masses is Jean Mouton’s “Missa Faulte d’argent.” We’ll hear two portions from the mass: the “Crucifixus” and “Et in Spiritum Sanctum” performed by the Brabant Ensemble.

MUSIC TRACK

Jean Mouton: Missa Faulte d’argent & Motets

The Brabant Ensemble; Stephen Rice

Hyperion 2022 | 00602458138351

Jean Mouton

Tr. 23: Missa Faulte d’argent: Crucifixus (2:03) (Total time: 5:21)

Tr. 24: Missa Faulte d’argent: Et in Spiritum Sanctum (3:18)

That was Jean Mouton’s “Crucifixus” and “Et in Spiritum Sanctum” from “Missa Faulte d’argent.” We heard the Brabant Ensemble conducted by Stephen Rice. 

Our next piece is one of Philippe de Vitry’s fourteen or so surviving motets. De Vitry served as a canon at Notre Dame for a mere three and a half months before being sent to the papal curia at Avignon. We’ll hear an arrangement of Vitry’s “In nova fert – Garrit gallus.”

MUSIC TRACK

A Late Medieval Mass

Aeolos

Cantate 2020 | CAN58049

Philippe de Vitry 

Tr. 22: “In nova fert – Garrit gallus” (2:33)

That was an instrumental arrangement of Vitry’s motet, “In nova fert – Garrit gallus,” performed by the wind ensemble Aeolos.

Our tour of Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris ends in the cloister, with music from our featured release – Orpheus’ Echo: A Carolingian Soundscape by PER–SONET, directed by Sabine Lutzenberger.

PER-SONET’s album, released in 2023, contains a lament by Peter Abelard. Abelard was a noted scholar in the 12th century who lived in the cloister of Notre-Dame with a canon named Fulbert. In exchange for lodgings, Abelard tutored Fulbert’s niece Héloise. Abelard and Héloise, not surprisingly, fell in love. When Héloise gave birth to a son, the pair secretly wed. Fulbert discovered their clandestine marriage, had Abelard castrated, and sent him to a monastery. Héloise was dispatched to a convent. 

Abelard famously wrote love songs for Héloise in the cloister where they conducted their affair. These songs did not survive, but Abelard’s six laments did. We’ll hear his sixth lament, “Dolorum solatium (the lament of David over Saul and Jonathan).”

MUSIC TRACK

Orpheus’ Echo: A Carolingian Soundscape

PER-SONAT; Sabine Lutzenberger

Christophorus 2023 | CHR77469

Peter Abelard

Tr. 10: Dolorum solatium, “Planctus David super Saul et Jonatha” (11:18)

That was Peter Abelard’s sixth lament, “Dolorum solatium. We heard ensemble PER-SONAT, directed by Sabine Lutzenberger, from their 2023 recording, Orpheus’ Echo: A Carolingian Soundscape.

[Fade in theme music]

Harmonia is a production of WFIU. 

Support comes from Early Music America: a national organization that advocates and supports the historical performance of music of the past, the community of artists who create it, and the listeners whose lives are enriched by it. On the web at EarlyMusicAmerica-dot-org. 

Additional resources come from the William and Gayle Cook Music Library at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. 

You can follow us on Facebook by searching for Harmonia Early Music.

The writer for this edition of Harmonia is Jaime Carini.

Thanks to our studio engineer Brock Hamman, and our production team: LuAnn Johnson, Aaron Cain, and John Bailey. I’m Angela Mariani, inviting you to join us again for the next edition of Harmonia.

[Theme music concludes]