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In most recent times, Notre Dame de Paris<\/strong>\u00a0tended to be exclusively linked with the art of Gothic architecture.<\/p>\n But how about musical art?<\/p>\n Other than the “big hit” musical “Notre de Dame de Paris<\/strong>“, based on Victor Hugo<\/a><\/strong>‘s works, not much else can be thought of in the mind of the general public by associating the two!<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=gtkmnhnHWhw<\/a><\/p>\n L\u00e9onin: “viderunt omnes<\/em>“<\/strong><\/p>\n The truth is, there is a long-standing music tradition attached to Paris’s most celebrated cathedral.<\/p>\n This tradition was born around the same time the sacred edifice was being constructed.<\/p>\n The \u00c9cole de Notre-Dame de Paris<\/strong><\/em>, the “Notre Dame School<\/strong>“, also known as “Notre Dame School of Polyphony<\/strong>“, goes back to the late 12th century<\/strong>,\u00a0the era marked by the music style later identified as “Ars antiqua<\/em><\/strong>” (literally “old art”, or “old technique.”)<\/p>\n Most of the school’s work was dedicated to liturgical prayer and sacramental celebration, and in that aspect differed from the other forms of music popular around that time, such as those of the Troubadours<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n Some wonder as to why only very little is known today about the individuals who composed music in those times in general, and those who belonged to this French school of music in particular.<\/p>\n There was in fact a very good reason for that.<\/p>\n Contrary to later trends, that is from the Renaissance up to our time, medieval musicians did not seek to achieve fame by means of their music, nor did they wish to be renown as “individuals.”<\/p>\n They above all wanted the listener’s attention to be focused solely on their \u0153uvres\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>(works.)<\/p>\n The author s’efface <\/em><\/strong>(steps aside) completely vis-a-vis his work.<\/p>\n There is little wonder, therefore, that the two main composers who belonged to the Notre-Dame<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0school are known to us only through the writings left by one of their English students— himself known to posterity by the fitting name of “Anonymous IV.<\/strong>”<\/p>\n The earlier of these master composers is L\u00e9onin,\u00a0<\/strong>author of the famous “Magnus Liber<\/strong><\/em>“, or “Great Book of Organum<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n The second, possibly a student of the former, is “P\u00e9rotin<\/strong>“, known as “P\u00e9<\/strong>rotin le Grand<\/strong><\/em>” (“Perotin the Great”), who\u00a0revised a substantial amount of Leonin’s work produced in the “Magnum Liber.<\/em>”<\/p>\n