Circle Line

Was the 20th-century minimalist music of Steve Reich and Philip Glass as innovative as we’re all led to believe? This fascinating album suggests that its insistent rhythms and gradually unfolding patterns were already important ingredients in 15th-century French composer Guillaume Dufay’s works. The pulsing energy that gives Glass’ “Train to São Paulo” its rhythmic drive, for instance, fuels Dufay’s “Gloria ad modum tubae.” And a track that seamlessly blends Reich’s “Clapping Music” with Dufay’s “Se la face ay pale” proves the inspired point. Circle Line is much more than a musical experiment, however, and Lautten Compagney’s sense of fun and adventure rises to the surface. There are gorgeous discoveries to be made.