Reading Abbey in England is now in ruins. Founded in 1121 by Henry I, the son of William the Conqueror, it became in the 13th century one of the largest royal monasteries in Europe and an important place of pilgrimage.

We will follow the steps of Edward, a young novice who visits the abbey for the first time. He was first shown the abbey church that had been dedicated to the Virgin Mary by Archbishop Thomas Becket in the presence of King Henry II, the same one who would cause his assassination a few years later. Edward heard Greek polyphonies and songs in Anglo-Norman, English and Latin. He tastes with delight at third-party intervals and frequent voice exchanges in polyphonies. Then he is taken to the private monastery, first to the refectory where, while he is eating, he is told the story of the life and death of St.Thomas Becket. Then he crosses the cloister where monks dance to the sound of the instruments. After this happy break, he discovers the scriptorium and the library. The monks are proud of their manuscripts, especially that which contains the first canon of the history of music composed by a monk of Reading who happens to be there: this is Wycombe, one of the first English composers!

The pieces are from the Harley 978 manuscript and other 13th century English manuscripts. This original program is created by Rue des Chantres and Cristina Alís Raurich which plays on its organtto Pythagoras, the only copy in the world of a 13th century organtto.