Paris 1200, the School of Notre-Dame

Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 8:30 PM

Estimated Run Time: 1 hour

Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

In the 12th century, a major architectural event marked Paris: the construction of the Gothic cathedral Notre-Dame. This context also fostered a remarkable musical boom, with the emergence of what is known as the Ecole de Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame school of polyphony). For the first time, a precise notation of pitches and durations was developed, permanently changing the course of Western history.
The works of this period are not mere experiments, but true masterpieces, rich, colorful, and remarkably polyphonic in their complexity. The program presented here includes pieces by Léonin (Hæc Dies), Pérotin (Viderunt omnes), Laudes Regiæ in honor of Philip Augustus, as well as anonymous motets, including the lament Cum apertam sepulturam (circa 1290).
A captivating journey to the heart of the Middle Ages!

Photo by ©Greet Duquesne

Program

Pieces by Léonin, Pérotin, and motets from the 12th and 13th centuries

Cast

Huelgas Ensemble
Paul Van Nevel, conductor