The Sword & the Lily: 15th-Century Polyphony for Judgement Day

Featuring

James Tomlinson
Fount & Origin
Johannes Ockeghem
Anonymous
Johannes Regis
Johannes Martini

Antoine Brumel

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Compositional Technique

Many pieces on this disc use 'alternatim' performance practice, alternating between verses of plainchant and polyphony, which was a preferred procedure for multi-versed hymns in the 15th century.

Performer Biography

Fount & Origin, an early music ensemble specializing in Late Middle Ages vocal music, was founded in 2018 by James Tomlinson and began as a student group at Oxford.

Composer's Artistic Vision

In the Late Middle Ages, sacred music was considered a particularly effective way to pray to Christ and the saints, with its heavenly rewards believed to extend even to listeners.

Recording & Production

Six of the nine polyphonic pieces on this album, composed in the mid- to late-15th century, are world premiere recordings and have likely not been heard for about 500 years.

Composer Biography

Johannes Ockeghem, a famous 15th-century Franco-Flemish musician, was exalted by his contemporaries as foremost among all musicians for his musical brilliance, the sweetness of his music, and his singing quality.

Album & Artwork

The album's title, "The Sword & the Lily," and its musical content are inspired by Rogier van der Weyden's 15th-century painting, "The Last Judgement at the End of Time."

Historical Context

Rogier van der Weyden's painting, "The Last Judgement at the End of Time," was commissioned around 1450 for the Hôtel-Dieu, a hospital in Beaune, France, founded after a period of plague and famine.