The Age of Chivalry

A lovely cd of early music entitled Chansons de Troubadours et Danses de Jongleurs by the ensemble Millenarium, consisting of voice and harp, organetto and percussion. The music originates from south west France in the Middle Ages in the age of chivalry and platonic love. True love was deemed to be incompatible with sensual pleasures but human nature being what it is, there are ambiguities in the philospophy. The music is beautiful, slightly melancholy which is not surprising given the chivalric concept. It is far enough removed from our own time to sound alien and mysterious but comfortingly human. As mentioned before with this very early repertoire, it seems to fit more with the modern concept of world music than with the classical tradition. Highly recommended if you can track it down.