Search - Gérard Lesne alto, Véronique Gens - soprano :: Alessandro Scarlatti: Motets / Lesne, Il Seminario Musicale

Practically perfect

scott | Calgary, Canada | 01/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gerard Lesne and Il Seminario Musicale have put out consistently good recordings for the past 15 years or so, but IMO, this one is possibly the best of all of them.



The repetoire, sacred motets by Alessandro Scarlatti, is wonderful. These works are mostly quite slow and langorous, although there are moments of real fire, and possess a solemnity I find very attractive.



Not only is the music excellent, but I would judge this to be one of the best performances I own (and I have many). Everything about it pleases me; the instruments are incisive yet warm, Gerard Lesne's voice is perfectly suited to this sort of repetoire and blends sympathetically with the rest of the ensemble, and the acoustic is somewhat dry which provides for great clarity of line. In the Salve Regina, Veronique Gens is an excellent partner and sings beautifully.



I very strongly recommend this CD for anyone who likes early vocal music, for I cannot conceive of these performances being improved upon. Get it!"

Wonderful performance of 4 motets by the lesser known Scarl

R. Rockwell | Brooklyn, NY USA | 07/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have ennjoyed every disc featuring Gerard Lesne. He is featured in solo here in three motets by Scarlatti. The words of two motets read more like love poems but it is clear that by virtue of his compositional technique that Scarlatti ireferring to his love of god. De tenebroso lacu is a motet that describes a Danteesque description of hell. All for motets are composed for continuo and string. The salve regina adds another voice: soprano Veroique Gens. Scarlatti's version is one of the most affecting I have ever heard.
Each motet is a small masterpiece well performed."