The Montpellier Codex (a.k.a. Montpellier MS H196), assembled in the years 1280-1300, is the largest single collection of polyphonic music prior to the Renaissance. The 300+ compositions were copied and assembled into a beautifully illuminated manuscript that was finally bound together in the 19th century. The secular songs are almost entirely the works of anonymous composers. The content of this heavy parchment filled book spans a long period of musical history extending as far back as the early 1200s and earlier. Some of the pieces are liturgical works from the Notre Dame School, but the majority are non-religious "motets" for three voices. They often contain themes of romance and sexuality expressed in Middle French poetry superimposed on familiar Gregorian hymns in the tenor voice.

Here is the list of the musical selections in this video as well as the artworks that accompany them. As always, I edited several MIDI files downloaded from early music websites. I replaced the modern instrument sounds in the original MIDI with those of Gothic Era instruments such as harp, lute, flute and vielle. To skip to another piece within the video, click on a time stamp corresponding to the song title.

0:10 S'on me regarde
UPLOAD: N. Nakamura, macamedus.net
a-b. S'on me regarde, Montpellier MS H196 (MH196), c1280
c. Biblical scene, Old Testament, French, c1280
d. Gargoyles, Notre Dame de Paris
e. Man & woman, Bibl.Cantonale et Universitaire, U964, c1280
f-g. Ste.Chapelle exterior
h. Female saint, Notre Dame de Paris
i. Castle of the White Queen, Chantilly, 13th cent.
j. Knight and Lady with harp, 13th cent.
k. L'Image du monde, Gossuin de Metz, 13th cent.
l. Mirror case with courtly scenes, French, late 13th cent.
4:19 Pucelete bele et avenant
UPLOAD: Carol A.P. Lagemann
a. Pucelete, MH196
b. Statue of Mary, 13th cent.
5:04 Plus bele que flor est
UPLOAD: N. Nakamura, macamedus.net
a. Plus bele que flor, MH196
b. Gateway to Notre Dame de Paris
c. Fisheye view of altar, Notre Dame de Paris
d. Rosette window, Notre Dame de Paris
e. Mourner at tomb of Louis de France, 1260
f. Window of Castel del Monte, Andria, Italy, 13th cent.
g. Ne m'a pas oublie, MH196
7:3 En mai quant rosier sont flouri
UPLOAD: Anonymous, xoomer.virgilio.it/earlymusicmidi
a. En mai, MH196
b. Medallion with bird, Limoge, 13th cent.
c. Musicians, Louis' Crusader Bible, c1250
8:45 Diex! je n'i os aler
UPLOAD: N. Nakamura, macamedus.net
a. Diex! je n'i, MH196
b. Rabbit with vielle, French, c1220
c. Singing David's praise, Morgan Lib. M638, French, c1250

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