SOUNDS FROM THE SANCTUARY – EPISODE #58: NOTRE DAME DE PARIS (CENTURIES OF CATHOLIC MUSIC)

Everyone who studies music at the college level - violinists, pianists, music historians, theorists, and of course, organists - takes music history as a required course. Inevitably, in the opening weeks of that course, the main topic of discussion is Notre Dame - the great Cathedral of Paris, and the tradition of music that originates from that sacred space centuries upon centuries ago and continues to this day. Some of the oldest written music is from the Cathedral of Notre Dame and it is studied by every serious musician and foundational to western music tradition. In today’s programme, let us listen to the music of the Cathedral of Notre Dame including works by Perotin that are as old at the Cathedral itself, and new improvisations that were made up on the spot by the organists currently upholding the unique traditions of French, Catholic, Sacred Music.