Michael Fury

The fairy Melinde has for ten years been estranged from her husband, Count Arnulf of Montabaur, as a result of his ambitions for their son: he wished to place the boy on the throne of neighbouring Brabant by usurping his niece, Princess Ida. Melinde has hidden their son from his father to protect him from his bad influence. Although Arnulf believes
she has killed him, the young man is living disguised as a minstrel, Palmerin, who owns a remarkable magic harp.

In short, Pipelare’s striking personality becomes apparent through hearing and analysing his masses rather than from the meagre details of his life. It is as if he redefines polyphonic composition with each work, rather than reverting to the tried and tested as say Jakob Obrecht did. There is nothing immediately recognisable, nothing that sounds even vaguely familiar, nothing can be categorised, rather everything sounds new, fresh, lively – wilfully individual!