Studio Der Frühen Musik ‎– Musik Der Spielleute

Welcome to my latest obssesion, medieval music. Thanks to Sarah Devachi's 'Gave In Rest' (already on my top of 2018 list; go listen to it now) and reading all the interviews relating to it, I've found a new interest in early European music (and subsequently became enamored with it). I mean, I already knew about it through period movies, RPGs, and Metal, like most people, probably. But with this renovated interest, it was time to go deep into it, to actually learn about it, to hear actual medieval music, not tainted by lai-lai-hei brand of Folk/Pagan/Viking Metal or celtic inspired/renaissance fair New Age bullshit.
So, after many readings, throughout my investigation, I've found that Studio Der Frühen Musik is the absolute best group that plays this kind o music, and I'll fight anyone on it.
It's important to notice that these songs are actually historical reconstructions, an approximation of what it actually was back then. Early notation sheets didn't have rhythm, though you had a couple of popular, common rhythm patterns, but a lot was up to guess of the performer. Also (an element that I love), improvisation was quite common, especially after polyphonic music came to be.
This record here collects songs that were commonly performed by minstrels (hence the name 'Musik Der Spielleute', litteraly 'Music Of The Minstrels') all from anonymous sources (something really common for the middle-ages). Though minstrels usually sang, these are all instrumentals, but it retains the danceable nature these had, quite repetitive in structure.
But most songs are pretty distinctive. 'Chominciamento Di Gioia' is the most complex and virtuosistic (not so common at the time; virtuose was more commonplace starting during the renaissance, more or less) and features a great deal of improvisation. 'Retrove' is an amazing lute duet and sounds quite contemporary, meaning 'sounds close to Prog Rock', this record is from the 70's afterall, but maybe that's just me. 'La Quinte, Sexte, Septime, Uitime Estampie Real' has some middle eastern flavor. That's another element that I love, medieval european music had some deal of Arabic influence, especially, most of all, Spain.
Anyway, that's just a little taste for you to get started. Studio Der Frühen Musik has an extense catalog. The vocal songs are usually more melancholic, that's why I didn't went with one of those right away. And the record that features Alfonso el Sabio's compositions (with a stronger
middle eastern flavor) is to die for.