Medieval Music in Denmark.Medieval Music in Denmark. Bo Holten, Musica Ficta. Dacapo 8.224133. One could hardly fault this disc on any count. The Danish songs, dating from the 9th though 15th centuries, seem like much that was being produced all over Europe at the time--simple a cappella monophony monophony Music consisting of a single unaccompanied melodic line. The concept often also includes melody that is accompanied by a drone or by drumming. Gregorian chant and Byzantine chant constitute the oldest written examples of monophonic repertory. , homophony homophony (hōmŏf`ənē), species of musical ensemble texture in which all voice parts move more or less to the same rhythm, in which a listener tends to hear the highest voice as the melody and the lower voices as its accompaniment. , and early polyphonic The ability to play back some number of musical notes simultaneously. For example, 16-voice polyphony means a total of 16 notes, or waveforms, can be played concurrently. styles. The music is almost entirely liturgical in nature, and the singing by Musica Ficta is exemplary. Dacapo's sound for the 14 or so singers is splendid in its clarity and light resonance, providing a most realistic ambiance am·bi·ance also am·bi·ence n. The special atmosphere or mood created by a particular environment: "The noir ambience is dominated by low-key lighting . . . . For lovers of Chant, here is a pleasant alternative. |
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