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The music of the proper (lat. proprium), always occasion-specific, contains texts directly relating to the feast held on August 15th. The elements of the proprium include the Introitus, Graduale, Alleluia, Offertorium, and Communio.

The ordinary (lat. ordinarium) refers to mass elements in which the text is fixed. The Kyrie eleison (track 3) and Gloria (track 4) are taken from Marian masses, while the Sanctus (track 12) and Agnus Dei (track 13) come from other sources. The Agnus Dei, with its three-part trope Lux lucis from a unicum Scottish manuscript, demonstrates the richness of sound in the 13th century. It also functions as a bridge to the three-part Gloria (track 4) tropes from the Burgos Monastery, and to the three- and four-part Notre Dame conductus (track 1,11) Both of the four-part conductus and the two-part Alleluia (track 9) are attributed to the only composers of Notre Dame repertory known by name, Magestri Leonin and Perotin.

On this recording, the alternation of Gregorian chant and elaborate three-part music creates an effective heightening of intensity within the musical dramaturgy. Providing space for reflection upon the significance of the ritual, the paraliturgic conducti are not part of the order of the mass and thus do not have a specific location within it. Two examples are heard from the monastic Liturgy of the hours of the Assumption of Mary: the Antiphon Quae est ista (track 8), which presents Psalm 113, In exitu Israel, and the 14th century reading, Jube Domine: Consurge induere fortitudine (track 6). The mass concludes with the Benedicamus Domino (track 15).

VOX NOSTRA conducted independent musicological research to produce this recording. All music is performed using original notation, including neumes and modal notation. Show more Show less