Timothy A. Philpot

Johannes Ockeghem - Complete Secular Music - The Medieval Ensemble Of London (1993) {L'Oiseau-Lyre 436 194-2OH2 rec 1981}
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© 1981, 1993 Decca / L'Oiseau-Lyre | 436 194-2OH2
Classical / Renaissance / 15th Century / Early Music

This was the last of the wonderful series of fifteenth-century song sets issued by L'Oiseau-Lyre Florilegium under the initiative of the late Peter Wadland. Like the others—the complete Dufay songs and the complete Chansonnier Cordiforme—it was hardly intended for continuous listening throughout and therefore sits far better in CD format, where songs can be selected individually and repeated for more concentrated listening. Also like the others, it is a touch uneven in quality: perhaps two-thirds of the pieces here receive magnificent performances that go straight to the centre of the music, while a few merely skim the surface.

The Medieval Ensemble of London was active in the late 1970s and early 80s and directed by Peter & Timothy Davies. They were a clear successor to David Munrow in this area, and most of the performers involved on their albums continue to be major parts of the EM mainstream. Albums such as the complete Dufay & Ockeghem songs were landmarks in their day. Twenty-five years after it was first released, this magnificent recording of 15th-century secular music has finally become available once again. Listening to it today, one wonders why Decca took so long to reissue it.