The discovery of the Leuven Chansonnier in 2014 was a music historical sensation that shook the world of early music to its foundations. This fifteenth-century songbook, which contains a treasure trove of Franco-Flemish polyphony by leading composers such as Johannes Ockeghem and Antoine Busnois, now receives an ambitious documentary series to commemorate its ten-year rediscovery.
Unique documentary series
The Alamire Foundation, the international centre for the study of music in the Low Countries based at KU Leuven, launches a new series titled Leuven Chansonnier in Perspective from 31 October 2024. In fifty weekly episodes, international experts search for answers to intriguing questions about this exceptional manuscript. The documentaries shed light not only on the musical content, but also on aspects such as the material composition, historical context and significance for our understanding of late medieval music culture. You can follow the documentary series via: Alamire.tv
Remarkable discovery
The Leuven Chansonnier, which emerged in 2014 at a London antiquarian dealer, contains 49 polyphonic songs, twelve of which are not found anywhere else. The manuscript measures just 12 by 8 centimetres and is thus one of the smallest but also best-preserved chansonniers from the late fifteenth century. The collection offers a unique insight into the musical life of that time and the spread of the Franco-Flemish repertoire.
Exhibition 600 years KU Leuven
The initiative paves the way for the prestigious exhibition on the occasion of 600 years of KU Leuven, which opens on 9 October 2025 at Museum M. The Leuven Chansonnier will hold a place of honour there as one of the most remarkable witnesses to the rich musical past of the Low Countries.
The documentary series, which will be broadcast every Thursday via alamire.tv, promises to offer new insights into this unique musical heritage. The Alamire Foundation, founded in 1991, has developed into a leading research centre that studies, digitises and makes historical music accessible to a broad audience. With state-of-the-art technology and innovative research methods, the centre brings the musical past to life.
Listen to the Chansonnier
To get an impression of the remarkable music from the Leuven Chansonnier, watch the video below in which 𝐄𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 performs a selection from the manuscript:
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuMmBQdftTg&list=PLhyZTa73b23HFUWXEMn9S4o48BaYER1R6[/embed]