1415: War, Pestilence and Sweet Sounds
25 October 1415: The Battle of Agincourt. Henry V鈥檚 famous victory coincides with another kind of conquest, as the special harmonies of English music travel across Europe.
On 25 October 1415 鈥� St Crispin鈥檚 Day 鈥� the armies of England and France meet on a rain鈥憇oaked field near Agincourt. Henry V鈥檚 outnumbered forces achieve a stunning victory in the middle of the Hundred Years War. But the impact of Henry's victory will be outstripped by a different kind of conquest, as the unique harmony that has been developing in Britain since the time of the Vikings starts to spread through France and beyond.
Gillian Moore is joined by a roster of distinguished historians for this major new 麻豆社 Radio 3 series, charting a course through 1000 years of classical music history. For the first eight programmes, historian Michael Wood is in the chair, as together they explore the bold new sound worlds of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Producer: David Fay
Academic Consultant: Professor Laura Tunbridge, University of Oxford
Story Consultant: Kate Leys
Series Editor for 麻豆社 Audio: Emma Harding
Key Changes theme tune composed by Joseph Howard and performed by the 麻豆社 National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Kerem Hasan.
MUSIC DETAILS
Anonymous: Agincourt Carol
Alamire
David Skinner (conductor)
Anonymous: Sumer is icumen in
Huelgas Ensemble
Paul van Nevel (conductor)
Anonymous: Beata viscera (Worcester Fragments)
Orlando Consort
Anonymous: Hymn to St Magnus
La Reverdie
John Dunstable: Quam pulchra es
麻豆社 Singers
Owain Park (conductor)
Guillaume de Machaut: De fortune me doi pleindre et loer
Ensemble Musica Nova
Lucien Kandel (conductor)
Guillaume de Machaut: Sans cuer dolens
麻豆社 Singers
Owain Park, conductor
Gherardello da Firenze / Caitr铆ona O鈥橪eary: Io son s矛 vaga della mia bellezza
Caitr铆ona O鈥橪eary (soprano)
Anakronos
Anonymous: Istampitta Tre fontane
The Early Music Consort of London
David Munrow (conductor)
John Dunstable: Credo (da gaudiorum premia)
Tonus Peregrinus
Anthony Pitts (conductor)
John Dunstable: O rosa bella
Ensemble Nova Alta
Gilles Binchois: Dueil angoisseux
Gothic Voices
Guillaume Dufay: Ave Maris Stella
麻豆社 Singers
Owain Park (conductor)
Last on
Music Played
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Anon.
Deo Gracias Anglia (Agincourt Carol)
Ensemble: Alamire. Conductor: David Skinner.- Obsidian Records.
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Anon.
Sumer is icumen in
Ensemble: Huelgas Ensemble. Conductor: Paul Van Nevel.- En Albion: Medieval Polyphony in England.
- Deutsche Harmonia Mundi.
- 5.
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Anon.
Beata Viscera (Worcester Fragments)
Ensemble: Orlando Consort.- Amon Ra.
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Anonymous
Nobilis, humilis [Hymn to St Magnus]
Ensemble: La Reverdie.- Insula Feminarum - Resonances Medievales.
- ARCANA.
- 15.
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John Dunstable
Quam pulchra es
Choir: 麻豆社 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park. -
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Guillaume de Machaut
De fortune me doi pleindre et loer
Ensemble: Ensemble Musica Nova. Conductor: Lucien Kandel.- Aeon.
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Guillaume de Machaut
Sans cuer dolens
Choir: 麻豆社 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park. -
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Ghirardello da Firenze
Io son s铆 vaga della mia bellezza
Composer: Caitr铆ona O鈥橪eary. Singer: Caitr铆ona O鈥橪eary. Ensemble: Anakronos.- Heresy Records.
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Anon.
Istampitta Tre fontane
Performer: David Munrow. Ensemble: Early Music Consort of London.- The Art of Courtly Love.
- Warner Classics.
- 25.
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John Dunstable
Credo (Missa da gaudiorum premia)
Choir: Tonus Peregrinus. Conductor: Antony Pitts. -
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John Dunstable
O Rosa Bella
Ensemble: Ensemble Nova Alta. -
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Gilles Binchois
Dueil angoisseux
Choir: Gothic Voices.- LINN.
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Guillaume Dufay
Ave Maris Stella
Choir: 麻豆社 Singers. Conductor: Owain Park.
Broadcast
- Sat 25 Apr 2026 13:00麻豆社 Radio 3