Anonymous (13th c.): La Septime Estampie Real
Philippe de Vitry (1291-1361): Tribum que / Quoniam secta / Merito hec patimur
Anonymous (13th c.): O varium fortune lubricum
Blondel de Nesles (c. 1155-1202): L'amour dont sui espris
Anonymous (13th c.): Procurans odium
Guillaume de Machaut (1300-77): Dame, mon cuer en vous remaint
Anonymous (14th c.): Qui de Fortune atende asses avoir
Gaucelm Faidit (c. 1155-1205): Jamais rien tal non porroit far amor
Audefroi le Bastart (fl. early 13th c.): Fine amours en Esperance
Anonymous (14th c.): Heu, Fortuna subdola / Aman novi probatur / Heu me
Guillaume DuFay (1397-1474): De ma haulte et bonne aventure
Adam de la Halle (c. 1220-88): Je n'ai autre retenance
Anonymous (12th c.): De monte lapis
Anonymous (13th c.): Hypocritae, pseudopontifices / Velut stellae firmamenti / Et gaudebit
Anonymous (14th c.): Thalamus puerpere / Quomodo cantabimus
Guillaume de Machaut: Dame, de qui toute ma joye vient
Gace Brulé (c. 1160-1213): Quant voi la flour boutener

Who needs a DeLorean equipped with a flux capacitor to travel back in time when all you need to do is drop this CD in your player, sit back, close your eyes, and drift back almost a thousand years into the heart of the Middle Ages (virtually speaking that is). Not unlike the folk singers of the 1950s and 60s, minstrels and troubadours were the balladeers of the day, writing and singing songs in pursuit of love within their own troubled times. Simple and low-key, with solo instrument accompaniment, the poetry and narrative within the words was the main focus.

That's precisely what the ensemble for medieval music Concordian Dawn capture and project so well in this recording. Like folk singers performing to a small audience in a cozy coffee house, there's an intimate and laid-back quality to their delivery. A single vielle and/or medieval harp provide the instrumental backbone to each song, and some are even performed a cappella. After all, the human voice was the predominant instrument of choice a thousand years back. And when the recorder does step in, as in the final piece by Gace Brulé, it adds an overall haunting quality to the sound.

The Concordian Dawn ensemble was established in 2012 and specializes in 12th through 14th century vocal repertoire. Its members are director Christopher Preston Thompson (tenor and medieval harp), Karin Weston (soprano), Clifton Massey (countertenor), David Dickey (countertenor and recorder), Andrew Padgett (bass) and Niccolo Seligmann (vielle). Unfortunately, anyone living back in 1172 is not here to attest to the performance's authenticity, but based on what I hear it's most likely as close as it gets. The booklet notes point out that this is a Candlewood Digital high resolution "Natural Presence" recording, and it certainly lives up to its description, with an acoustically impeccable sound set in a naturally ambient soundscape.