This disc features vocal and instrumental music pertaining to the Crusades, and the performers are the
Early Music Consort of London under the directorship of
David Munrow. This is easily one of the best period-instrument ensembles from the second half of the 20th century, and the musicians clearly know what they are doing. Though the music is never inelegant, it often does have overtones of an entrenched martial resolve. This is not the music of moderate times, but it is not bloodthirsty either. Meditative, gorgeous melodies are part of the program, as are works featuring aggressive percussion and a direct, unconquerable sound. The diversity of the disc is one of its strengths. Many of the works are by unknown or anonymous composers, but they are all from the 12th-13th centuries, ascribing to the troubadour tradition, from the few manuscripts that survived that period. Apart from the stellar musicians, this recording also features five singers of comparable merit, and no shortcomings among them can be detected after several hearings. Enthusiastic, painstaking research has obviously gone into the performance practice in operation here, and the delivery is genuinely inspired. Readers interested in becoming familiar with this sort of material will be especially satisfied with this recording, made in 1970 with excellent sound.