The science of classical music was born in the eleventh century but it really took off in the fourteenth as composers and theorists began to write for one another, expanding techniques of harmony and rhythm to new levels of sophistication and complexity. In France the new music was called "ars nova" (new art) and its leading practitioner was Guillaume de Machaut. He is best known for the 'Messe de Notre Dame,' one of the earliest complete polyphonic mass settings and a landmark of medieval music, but his innovative nature may be best heard in his songs, called ballades, virelai and rondeaux, fourteen of which are assembled here.
DREAMS IN THE PLEASURE GARDEN is the first full length CD of unaccompanied Machaut songs. Care has been taken to avoid the most often recorded pieces and show the more "dissonant and unpredictable" side of Machaut's art. The songs are dazzling, haunting, perfect little puzzles that turn and unlock, opening to reveal even deeper beauties. The four members of the Orlando Consort reveal themselves as the heirs apparent to the Hilliard Ensemble, matching their superb intonation with an even greater sense of involvement. This is a wonderful CD, essential for fans of early music.