French Baroque Music

[Drasko]

Sometimes you just scare me...

hahahaha, didn't know I had it in me

[Leo K.]

Yes, that's the one.

Gilbert is everything you would expect: rather contemplative, rarely playing for excitement. If you want thrills then you may be more happy with someone else. But I think he's deep, and I like that.

I have Gilbert's Rameau too, which I like. I think he was at his best in French music. I prefer his Rameau to Spieth's  , though I would be tempted to hear Spieth's F Couperin if I could find it at a decent quality bitrate in the UK. amazon's is low bitrate, and I've learned to avoid that.

I am very keen on listening to Gilbert's Rameau, which I see is on Spotify. Good!

[milk]

I am very keen on listening to Gilbert's Rameau, which I see is on Spotify. Good!

Getting over my initial excitement about Ross's Rameau, I still feel most deeply moved by Gilbert. I wonder if Andre would agree?

[Lilas Pastia]

Anyone familiar with the Te Deum of Joseph-Antoine-Esprit Blanchard (b. 1696) ? According to some it's a very rewarding work. Curio: one of the work's themes has 11/13 notes from Beethoven' Ode to Joy, whatever that's supposed to mean. Haven't heard it yet. An old Erato disc with the cream of french soloists and instrumentalists in 1957 is circulating in mp3 download format (legal). Recorded in the flattering acoustics of Paris' Notre-Dame du Liban.

[Drasko]

Anyone familiar with the Te Deum of Joseph-Antoine-Esprit Blanchard (b. 1696) ? According to some it's a very rewarding work. Curio: one of the work's themes has 11/13 notes from Beethoven' Ode to Joy, whatever that's supposed to mean. Haven't heard it yet. An old Erato disc with the cream of french soloists and instrumentalists in 1957 is circulating in mp3 download format (legal). Recorded in the flattering acoustics of Paris' Notre-Dame du Liban.

I've heard of Blanchard, but nothing by Blanchard. He was relatively well regarded mid 18th century composer of generation of Rameau, Boismortier or Madin. Mostly wrote sacred music (grands motets) as far as I know, with that 1745 Te Deum as his best known piece.

He just hasn't been recorded much this far. I didn't know of that 50s recording, there is one more recent (2004) which I haven't heard. Here, with short clip:

http://jubilateversailles.wifeo.com/presentation.php

[Drasko]

There is actually one other recording of Blanchard's Te Deum -  on Adda label from 1992, by Chœur et Orchestre de Paris - Sorbonne under Jacques Grimbert, with respectable line up of soloists from that period - Gerard Lesne, Peter Harvey ...


http://www.amazon.fr/Te-deum-Misericordias-Antoine-Blanchard/dp/B00004ULCL

Very much out of print unfortunately, but available complete on yotube, in three parts:

http://www.youtube.com/v/1-GicptcURo
http://www.youtube.com/v/m4SC4D73ZKg
http://www.youtube.com/v/2ZwJcSGVduo

[Lilas Pastia]

Thanks Milos! The 1957 recording, no doubt drastically different stylistically can be found on René Gagnaux' website. Just type www.renegagnaux.ch

René nas many interesting items on his website. Since his offerings are strictly legal, nothing more recent than the last 50 years will be found on his site.

I'll listen to that ADDA performance and compare to the older one.

[Que]

There is actually one other recording of Blanchard's Te Deum -  on Adda label from 1992, by Chœur et Orchestre de Paris - Sorbonne under Jacques Grimbert, with respectable line up of soloists from that period - Gerard Lesne, Peter Harvey ...


http://www.amazon.fr/Te-deum-Misericordias-Antoine-Blanchard/dp/B00004ULCL

Very much out of print unfortunately, but available complete on yotube, in three parts:

The music sounds wonderful!

The performance is a bit so so, would be an excellent choice for a new recording by Schneebeli or Niquet.

Q

[Drasko]

Like a said before: Charpentier's Te Deum has an elegant and beautiful sister. And, dare I say, she is even prettier!

Definitely my purchase of the month.

Q

If I had to chose one favorite composer of sacred music from French baroque period it would be Delalande (and I don't think I'm alone in that opinion). And if I had to chose one single disc to represent the entire era it would be that one.

What is complete shame, and is utterly baffling, is to what extent is Delalande unrecorded and what is recorded is unavailable. Currently you can probably find in print two Christie discs on HM and Lecons de Tenebres on Naive and that's it. Herreweghe disc of motets is out of print, same with Schneebeli, same with Gester on op.111, same with Skidmore on Gaudeamus, same with complete Symphonies pour les Soupers du Roy by Reyne on HM, same with couple old Erato recordings ...

It seems that after 2005 there was just one single new Delalande release (partial Lecons with Kirkby on BIS) and no reissues at all. Looks absurd since in recent years we had lots of recordings of composers of much lesser importance than Delalande.

Now this is complete speculation, I know very little about facts and consequences, but it seems that 2005 lawsuit which Lionel Sawkins, a scholar and editor of Delaland's complete oeuvre, cleanly won against Hyperion and HM over Skidmore and Herreweghe Delalande recordings (he argued that preparing performing editions of baroque music is much more the simple editing, and that he should get some sort of royalties or was it just much more money, can't really remember) resulted in fact that nobody in recording business won't touch Dellalande music with ten foot pole. If that is the case than it is so very sad.
Again, I'm just speculating, all this might not be the reason at all. 

 

[The new erato]

Pity for Delalande, but that Sawkins ass definitively deserves to shoot himself in the foot which he may seem to have done.

[Que]

If I had to chose one favorite composer of sacred music from French baroque period it would be Delalande (and I don't think I'm alone in that opinion). And if I had to chose one single disc to represent the entire era it would be that one.

What is complete shame, and is utterly baffling, is to what extent is Delalande unrecorded and what is recorded is unavailable. Currently you can probably find in print two Christie discs on HM and Lecons de Tenebres on Naive and that's it. Herreweghe disc of motets is out of print, same with Schneebeli, same with Gester on op.111, same with Skidmore on Gaudeamus, same with complete Symphonies pour les Soupers du Roy by Reyne on HM, same with couple old Erato recordings ...

It seems that after 2005 there was just one single new Delalande release (partial Lecons with Kirkby on BIS) and no reissues at all. Looks absurd since in recent years we had lots of recordings of composers of much lesser importance than Delalande.

I couldn't agree with you more! It's absolutely gorgeous music. Fortunately I gathered quite a few of the recordings you mention. It's a pity that there is so little on offer. I emailed Harmonia Mundi once about the complete Symphonies pour les Soupers du Roy by Reyne, and the reply was that a reissue was planned within a year. But it never materialised...

For those interested - a good listing of CDs is to be found HERE.

Now this is complete speculation, I know very little about facts and consequences, but it seems that 2005 lawsuit which Lionel Sawkins, a scholar and editor of Delaland's complete oeuvre, cleanly won against Hyperion and HM over Skidmore and Herreweghe Delalande recordings (he argued that preparing performing editions of baroque music is much more the simple editing, and that he should get some sort of royalties or was it just much more money, can't really remember) resulted in fact that nobody in recording business won't touch Dellalande music with ten foot pole. If that is the case than it is so very sad.
Again, I'm just speculating, all this might not be the reason at all. 

I hope you are wrong, it would be a terrible waste!  


Anyway, just a quick question: is this worthwhile - having already the Leçons by Desrochers et al on Naïve?

[asin]B00006RNHS[/asin]

Q

[Opus106]

In Amazon's list of future releases...

[asin]B0090OPC50[/asin]

[petrarch]

Anyway, just a quick question: is this worthwhile - having already the Leçons by Desrochers et al on Naïve?

[asin]B00006RNHS[/asin]

I think it is, but then I am partial to Le Poème Harmonique and to Alpha, so this is kind of a double whammy. That said, there are other CDs on the same label and by that ensemble that are more 'solid'.

[PaulSC]

In Amazon's list of future releases...

[asin]B0090OPC50[/asin]

Thanks for the heads up! I'm tempted, despite being in the middle of a Chopin kick...

[Que]

Thanks for the heads up! I'm tempted, despite being in the middle of a Chopin kick...

Me too!! Though I already have the complete Duphly (4 books, on 3 discs) by Jean-Patrice Brosse (Pierre Vérany/Arion).
Those are solid, sensitive and idiomatic performances, but Rousset always takes things to another level or in a different direction. And, like with his awesome Louis Couperin set, he seems to go for a selection instead of "complete". So the two seem complementary to each other.

I think it is, but then I am partial to Le Poème Harmonique and to Alpha, so this is kind of a double whammy. That said, there are other CDs on the same label and by that ensemble that are more 'solid'.

Thanks! Could you point me into the direction of some of the must-haves by Dumestre and his ensemble?

Q

[PaulSC]

Me too!! Though I already have the complete Duphly (4 books, on 3 discs) by Jean-Patrice Brosse (Pierre Vérany/Arion).
Those are solid, sensitive and idiomatic performances, but Rousset always takes things to another level or in a different direction. And, like with his awesome Louis Couperin set, he seems to go for a selection instead of "complete". So the two seem complementary to each other.

Q, I trust you are me-too-ing the Duphly and not the Chopin — or else, we have to talk! Anyway, I agree Rousset always manages to add his own flair without getting away from the core of the music. I mostly know the first two Livres — my possibly ill-informed impression is that the later books show more Galante/Pre-Classical elements?

[petrarch]

Thanks! Could you point me into the direction of some of the must-haves by Dumestre and his ensemble?

Actually, I was thinking of another CD when I said the Lalande you mentioned wasn't to my complete enjoyment, simply because the singer uses far too much vibrato and doesn't sound that well integrated:

[asin]B00004VL20[/asin]

The following are quite good (chosen for variety from the ~15 I have, all worthy of digging into):

[asin]B00005J7UX[/asin] [asin]B000A0HFU8[/asin] [asin]B000069KJZ[/asin] [asin]B0002J5978[/asin] [asin]B000A0HFZ8[/asin] [asin]B00005KJEP[/asin]

[Que]

Actually, I was thinking of another CD when I said the Lalande you mentioned wasn't to my complete enjoyment, simply because the singer uses far too much vibrato and doesn't sound that well integrated:

The following are quite good (chosen for variety from the ~15 I have, all worthy of digging into):

Wow! That's quite an intriguing list! Thanks, much appreciated.

Q

[The new erato]

The Cavalieri disc of lamentations are one of my favorite early baroque discs ever.

[Brian]

On period instruments in January: