1. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 1. Simphonie 2. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 2. Te Deum laudamus 3. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 3. Tibi omnes angeli 4. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 4. Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth 5. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 5. Te gloriosus Apostolorum chorus 6. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 6. Tu Rex gloriae, Christe 7. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 7. Tu ad liberandum 8. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 8. Tu devicto mortis aculeo 9. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 9. Te ergo quaesumus 10. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 10. Aeterna fac 11. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 11. Per singulos dies 12. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 12. Dignare Domine 13. Te Deum laudamus, grand motet, S. 32: 13. In te Domine speravi 14. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 1. Simphonie - 2. Super flumina 15. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 3. In salicibus 16. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 4. Quia illic interrogaverunt nos 17. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 5. Hymnum cantate nobis 18. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 6. Si oblitus fuero tui 19. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 7. Adhaerat lingua mea 20. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 8. Memor esto, Domine 21. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 9. Filia Babilonis misera (soli) 22. Super flumina Babylonis, grand motet, S. 13: 9. Filia Babilonis misera (ch?ur) 23. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 1. Simphonie - 2. Confitebor 24. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 3. Magna opera Domini 25. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 4. Confessio et magnificentia 26. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 5. Memoriam fecit mirabilium 27. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 6. Memor erit in saeculum 28. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 7. Fidelia omnia mandata ejus 29. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 8. Redemptionem misit populo suo 30. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 9. Sanctum et terribile 31. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 10. Intellectus bonus 32. Confitebor tibi, Domine, grand motet, S. 56: 11. Gloria
This recording of three motets by Michel Delalande (1657-1726) is performed by Les Arts Florissants under the baton of Bill Christie!That should be all the recommendation you need, especially at a give-away price. I feel an urge, however, to expatiate about the parallel universe of the French Baroque, and here I go:
No one with even one intact ear, ála van Gogh, could fail to hear the difference between French Baroque music and music of Germany or Italy in the same era. First there are the falling iambic ornaments and the trochaic cadences, packed into melodic lines that invariably favor 'affect' over virtuosity. Then there are the sprightly ballet rhythms, shifting from twos to three evanescently. Nothing is sustained to the point of ennui in French Baroque; the nineteen-minute Te Deum recorded here, for instance, has thirteen separate movements. Solo movements in particular are concise, while choral passages are allowed to swell. Don't assume, however, that such evanescence is frivolous. There is an overarching unity to each of these three motets that accumulates into a sense of musical grandeur.
If you listen to these motets before glancing at the texts, you may wonder what language in being sung. The voices are unmistakably French, especially the males - oaky, smokey, slightly nasal. The vowels sound French, yet a French speaker wouldn't undertstand. It's Latin they're singing, with quaint French pronunciation - eroded consonants, nasal A's and purse-lipped U's. I know Bill Christie's work well enough to be certain that he instructed his chorists and soloists to adopt such pronunciation. It wouldn't have been hard for them, since they are all French. That's one of the keys to the coherence and stylistic elegance of this performance, and part of a growing concensus in early music circles that most music is best sung by native speakers.
The greatest masterpieces of French Baroque are the operas of Lully and Ramaeau, but motets such as these deserve to be performed far more often. This CD, I'll venture to say, is the best I've heard of the repertoire.
Michel Delalande was the successor to Lully as the favorite court composer of Louis XIV, and what was good enough for the Sun King is good enough for me.
French baroque at its finest Submitted on: 2007-08-30
I added this inexpensive CD just to fill out an order, and after listening to a few tracks knew that it was destined to become a favorite.
Delalande was one of the most important composers of French sacred music, particularly the Grand Motet. His style is reminiscent of a contemporary, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and reeks of the grandeur of the Royal Court under the Sun King, Louis XIV. The performers are stellar, featuring vocalists who understand the baroque style. The instrumentation is varied and authentic, with continuo lines on solos and duets passed between the Theorboe, bass viol and organ. In all, a wonderful performance of wonderful music.
Superb Submitted on: 2005-12-15
Delalande was extremely well regarded in his own time, but there are not that many recordings of his music available, and as such is under-represented in the catalogue. He was acknowledged as a master of the grand motet, of which the three offered here are very good examples.
The Te Deum is every bit as engaging as the more famous one by Charpentier, and to tell the truth, I enjoy the Delalande work quite a bit more. Most of the movements are short, but they are all lovely and notable.
Super flumina Babylonis and Confitebor are likewise very good, the last movements of each exhibiting tremendous energy and momentum.
Les Arts Florrisants under William Christie show why they are masters in this repetoire. The soloists are all drawn from the chorus, but with names like Gens, Fouchecourt, Correas and Piau, they are not second-rate singers at all. Christie has a way of making these grands motets sound very grand, and this release is one of the best Delalande recordings you will find.
Superb Grand Motets Submitted on: 2003-11-07
This disc features Les Arts Florissants, for me, the best French baroque ensemble, under great conductor and harpsichordist William Christie. A recording from early 90's in Harmonia Mundi,with excellent acoustics and performance.
The initial Te Deum makes use of full choirs and soloists with some brass and timpani. The next Grand Motets are cast for smaller forces, alternating full choirs and more austere solo recitatives. All around, this is music of triumph and "grandeur", perfect for festing Louis XIV at his Chapelle Royale. Fans of French Baroque Music will be delighted.
In Bill We Trust