From 1337 to 1453, France and England waged a ruthless combat, with the Hundred Years War plunging Europe into violence and horror. Yet, far from the battlefields, spiritual and intellectual activity flourished. More than ever, people prayed and sang. In England, despite a culture profoundly marked by French taste, a school of composition specific to the country developed at the end of the 13th century. Almost everywhere in the realm, diverse works came into being, punctuating and enlivening daily life. The programme of the Céladon ensemble spans more than a century of music and alternates chants in Latin and songs in English, frequently evoking the figure of the Virgin Mary.

Her grace and goodness reflect the opposite of the brutality ravaging Europe, which was paradoxically fascinated by miracles and the supernatural. These pieces of music, of simple construction and often of folk inspiration, pack a powerful impact. They provide a vibrant illustration of the variety of musical and poetic compositions of that troubled era, which fluctuated between barbarity and naïveté. The motets, conducti, canons and carols on this recording charm and fascinate with their modernity, the clarity of their polyphony, and the beauty of the vocal lines.