Musica e Canto Corale Podcast

Polyphony in Dante's Commedia: Between Allegory and Historical Musical Context

The presence of polyphonic references in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy has long raised questions among scholars, fueling a debate that intersects literature, philosophy, and music. In recent decades, an interpretative current has sought to read these passages as part of an allegorical system consciously constructed by the poet to "encode" hidden meanings. 

The allegorical interpretation of the octoechos: William of Auxerre and the theology of Gregorian chant. In search of modal meaning as an expression of the Mystery

A brief and, I hope, exhaustive review of Claudio Campesato's fascinating work "Modal Allegory: The Allegorical Interpretation of the Octoechos as Liturgical-Musical Hermeneutics in William of Auxerre's 'Summa de officiis ecclesiasticis'"*. A liturgical-musical exploration of the theme of medieval allegory in relation to Gregorian modality.

Codex Las Huelgas: a medieval musical treasure comes to life thanks to two outstanding vocal ensembles. The ambitious project aims to record the entire manuscript

Written in the Cistercian monastery of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas in Burgos, Spain, the Codex Las Huelgas is one of the most important manuscripts of the early Middle Ages. It is an anthology of 13th-century chants that constitutes one of the emblematic examples of Ars Antiqua. Today, this treasure is brought back to life thanks to two outstanding Italian vocal ensembles, united in an ambitious project aimed at completing the recording of the entire manuscript.

A marvelous path that leads to the firmament In the 550 years since the death of Guillaume Dufay (1397-1474)

The podcast examines the life and work of Guillaume Dufay, emphasizing his musical innovation. It analyzes his isorhythmic motets, highlighting their stylistic features and their significance in the transition from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance. The text also describes Dufay's education and his travels to Italy. Finally, it analyzes the *Missa Sancti Jacobi*, exploring its compositional peculiarities and its geographical context in Bologna.