Continuum presents dance music that may have been heard in The Garden of Mirth (a garden of love) from the 13th Century poem, The Romance of the Rose, a medieval French poem styled as an allegorical dream vision. It is a notable instance of courtly literature. The work's stated purpose is to both entertain and to teach others about the Art of Love. At various times in the poem, the "Rose" of the title is seen as the name of the lady, and as a symbol of female sexuality in general. Likewise, the other characters' names function both as regular names and as abstractions illustrating the various factors that are involved in a love affair. Lovers were supposed to have met in the garden, enticed by Cupid. The CD used is A Dance in the Garden of Mirth (The Dufay Collective) - Chandos CHAN 4320.
CONTINUUM: A Dance in the Garden of Mirth
