Notre-Dame de Paris

The heart of Paris beats on an island in the middle of the River Seine. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame stood on the island like a rock for almost 8oo years. It only took one night to almost destroy it. The time of its construction coincides with the life of a certain Petronius who cofounded a singing school. In late medieval times it served as foundation for constructing vocal cathedrals by bold architects such as Antoine Brumel who did just this with his 40-minute mass: time becomes space. The Huelgas Ensemble lives and embodies this music. Throughout its 50-year history it has been described and celebrated with each and every positive superlative imaginable and deservedly so.