"L'Homme Arme" was one of the most popular songs of the Middle Ages. It started life as a crusader's song, but found its way into church music as the basis of masses by Josquin,
Dufay, Palestrina, Carissimi and others. It was still going at the time of Bach and its appeal has lasted right up to the present day. Jeremy J Beadle traces the history of the song, discussing its political significance in the medieval period and showing how it was subsequently taken up and used by later composers. Producer Anthony Sellors