Peter Harvey Paul Haddad Jacques Bona - Charpentier Leons de Tnbres (20 tracks) +Album Reviews

Search - Peter Harvey, Paul Haddad, Jacques Bona :: Charpentier: Leçons de Ténèbres

Peter Harvey, Paul Haddad, Jacques Bona
Charpentier: Leçons de Ténèbres
Genres: Special Interest, Classical

Track Listings (11) - Disc #1
1. Prélude en g ré sol bémol, for flute, strings & continuo, H. 528
2. Habitabit & Psalm 14, antiphon in mode 4
3. Work(s): Première leçon, H.121 / Jerusalem convertere du H.120
4. Omnes amici mei, répons après la 1ère leçoon du jeudi saint, motet for tenor, 2 flutes & continuo, H. 144
5. Prélude(?), for 2 treble instruments & bass, H. 510
6. Work(s): Deuxième leçon, H.139 / Jerusalem convertere du H.138
7. Velum templi scissum est, 3e répons après la 3e leçon du 1er nocturne, motet for 3 voices, chorus, flute & continuo, H. 128
8. Work(s): Troisième leçon, H.136 / Jerusalem convertere du H.135
9. Tenebrae factea sunt, responsory
10. Prélude pour ce qu'on voudra, for strings, H. 521
11. Miserere (Psalm 50) (faux-bourdon)
Track Listings (9) - Disc #2
1. Astiterunt reges terrae, antiphon in mode 8
2. Dixit Dominus, Pour le Port Royal, motet for 3 high sopranos (or chorus) & continuo, H. 226
3. Première leçon de ténèbres du vendredi saint, motet for soprano, violin & continuo, H. 105 (Neuf leçons)
4. Tanquam ad laronem, 1er répons après la 1ère leçon du 2 nocturne, motet for bass voice, 2 flutes, 2 violins & continuo, H. 133
5. Seconde leçon de ténèbres du vendredi saint, motet for tenor & contnuo, H. 140
6. Jerusalem surge, 2e répons après la 2e leçon du 1er nocturne du vendredi, motet for 2 voices, instruments & continuo, H. 130
7. Troisième leçon de ténèbres du vendredi saint, motet for 2 voices, 2 treble instruments & continuo, H. 95
8. Vinea mea electa, responsory
9. Miserere (Psalm 50) (faux-bourdon)

CD Details

All Artists: Peter Harvey, Paul Haddad, Jacques Bona, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Gregorian Chant, Plainchant Chant, Gérard Lesne, Il Seminario musicale, Sandrine Piau, Agnès Mellon, Ian Honeyman, Frederic Richard, Etienne Fouss
Title: Charpentier: Leçons de Ténèbres
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Virgin Classics
Original Release Date: 1/1/2008
Re-Release Date: 5/27/2008
Genres: Special Interest, Classical
Styles: Opera & Classical Vocal, Chamber Music, Historical Periods, Baroque (c.1600-1750), Classical (c.1770-1830), Early Music
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPCs: 400000007823, 5099952202124

CD Reviews

Out of the Shadows ...

Giordano Bruno | Wherever I am, I am. | 02/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"... the voices of devotion emerge somberly, and as the candles are extinguished, the mood of Holy Week - passionate sorrow tinged with adoration - thrills the devout. Charpentier's Leçons de Ténèbres are profoundly devotional, sincerely religious, perhaps even more spiritual than the Tenebrae music of Gesualdo or Victoria.

Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) is best known to modern audiences for his Christmas music. After all, "Christmas" concerts sell. In the 17th and 18th Centuries, however, Christmas was a less significant celebration than Easter and its preceding days of Holy Week. Likewise, Passion music was more elaborate, more intense, more varied, more profound. To my ears, the two sacred "offices" recorded here - for Maundy Thursday and for Good Friday - are the pinnacles of Charpentier's art.

Tenebrae services usually included plainchant, soft instrumental preludes, and oratorio-like 'lessons' in the stile concertato featuring declamatory solo singing. That's the format of these two CDs. Il Seminario Musicale performs the plainchant in the manner of Charpentier's era, complete with French pronunciation of Latin and with more musical delicacy than the monastic chanters of our times. The 'soft' instruments are gambas and recorders, played with Gallic piquancy. The highlight of the recording, however, is the singing of sopranos Sandrine Piau and Agnès Mellon, and male alto Gerard Lesne, who has never sung more archangelically. Tenor Ian Honeyman sings well - quite well - but whenever Lesne takes over, the music swells in expressivity. Recorded in the early '90s, released separately and now re-released together, these two CDs are my choice for the best Charpentier and the best Tenebrae music available. I'm not a believer in the Christian mysteries but, listening to this sublime music, I begin to feel that the 'lessons' of Tenebrae are of more value than the rollicking commercialism of Christmas."

Wnderful CD

Ramiro Arguello | Guatemala | 07/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is a beautiful CD well recorded and the music by Charpentier: Leçons de Ténèbres is simply out of this world, the singing can not be bettered."