Medieval musical literature is replete with references to power, particularly in the realm of polyphonic composition, and can sometimes take the form of a political statement where exhortation, lamentation, celebration, and criticism play a prominent role. One thinks of motet 22 by Guillaume de Machaut, whose dramatic text illustrates a dark period of the 14th century: "Weep, kingdom, your people are ravaged by dissension."

The multifaceted genre of the motet, between the 13th and 15th centuries, served as a privileged means of expression for composers to comment on current events in indirect, hidden, and metaphorical ways, or more explicitly. From Adam de la Halle to Guillaume Dufay, these noble rhetoricians displayed remarkable inventiveness and, through their musical settings, became true conduits of political ideas, sometimes flattering the ruling classes, sometimes critical. With this unique musical program, we aim to unveil the history of the motet, a genre whose polyphonic devices gently harmonize with the grand sweep of history.