The Las Huelgas Codex, a collection of 186 pieces for liturgical or devotional practice, coming from sources that extended across Europe, was copied in the early 14th century for use in a convent near Burgos, Spain. It contains a broad variety of a cappella vocal music -- a rich assortment including masses, motets, and many types of songs -- so it's not possible to characterize the collection as a whole, but much of it is notable for its emotional expressiveness, ranging from the poignant lament O monialis conscio to the ...
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The Las Huelgas Codex, a collection of 186 pieces for liturgical or devotional practice, coming from sources that extended across Europe, was copied in the early 14th century for use in a convent near Burgos, Spain. It contains a broad variety of a cappella vocal music -- a rich assortment including masses, motets, and many types of songs -- so it's not possible to characterize the collection as a whole, but much of it is notable for its emotional expressiveness, ranging from the poignant lament O monialis conscio to the radiant, ecstatic conductus Ave maris stella. The Codex was written down at a period when there was still considerable notational ambiguity about how the music was to be performed, particularly its rhythm, and Anonymous 4, based on its members' lifetimes of scholarship, brings informed intuition and acute musical intelligence to the pieces. The result is an album that is musically and intellectually beguiling. There is much diversity in the material, which is sometimes monophonic and...
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