Couperin - Leçons de Ténèbres / Daneman, Petibon, Les Arts Florissants, Christie

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It figures that the ensemble most responsible for the French Baroque revival is the one to outdo Nelson and Kirkby's legendary recording of these lamentation settings. Sophie Daneman and Patricia Petibon don't have the earlier pair's gorgeous, distinctive voices (both occasionally wobble above the staff), but they sound plenty beautiful. More importantly, they've managed to make these major-key pieces sound like lamentations. Twenty years ago, Kirkby and Nelson were pioneers: merely singing with their white tone was risky; they couldn't take many chances with rhythmic freedom. Daneman and Petibon have had time to internalize Couperin's style: they can push ahead here, hold back there, extend an unaccompanied phrase and let it drop off suddenly--following rhetoric more than rhythm, they take your breath away. --Matthew Westphal

Couperin - Leçons de Ténèbres / Daneman, Petibon, Les Arts Florissants, Christie, Music, François Couperin, William Christie, Sophie Daneman, Patricia Petibon, Monica Huggett, Marc Hantaï, Anne-Marie Lasla, Emilia Benjamin, Les Arts Florissants, Baroque Motet, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Solo Voice and Continuo, Vocal, Vocal Music

Couperin - Leçons de Ténèbres / Daneman, Petibon, Les Arts Florissants, Christie
Average customer rating:

Fabulous

Couperin, Lecon de tenebres

Gorgeous, rare recording of the Tenebrae by Couperin

An exquisite shining pearl - perfect, simply perfect.

Couperin - Leçons de Ténèbres / Daneman, Petibon, Les Arts Florissants, Christie
François Couperin , William Christie , Sophie Daneman , Patricia Petibon , Monica Huggett , Marc Hantaï , Anne-Marie Lasla , Emilia Benjamin , and Les Arts Florissants
Manufacturer: Wea International
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Couperin, François | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Christie, William | ( C ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000005E4Y
Release Date: 2006-03-06

Tracks:

Premiere Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint: Incipit Lamentio - Sophie Daneman
Premiere Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint: Aleph - Sophie Daneman
Premiere Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint: Beth - Sophie Daneman
Premiere Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint: Ghimel - Sophie Daneman
Premiere Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint: Daleth - Sophie Daneman
Premiere Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint: He - Sophie Daneman
Premiere Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint: Jerusalem - Sophie Daneman
Deuxieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Une Voix: Vav - Patricia Petibon
Deuxieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Une Voix: Zain - Patricia Petibon
Deuxieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Une Voix: Heth - Patricia Petibon
Deuxieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Une Voix: Teth - Patricia Petibon
Deuxieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Une Voix: Jerusalem - Patricia Petibon
Trosieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Deux Voix: Yod - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman
Trosieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Deux Voix: Caph - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman
Trosieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Deux Voix: Lamed - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman
Trosieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Deux Voix: Mem - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman
Trosieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Deux Voix:Nun - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman
Trosieme Lecon De Tenebres Pour Le Mercredi Saint A Deux Voix: Jerusalem - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman
Quarte Versets Du Motet: Tabescere me facit - Sophie Daneman/Patricia Petibon
Quarte Versets Du Motet: Ignitum eloquium - Sophie Daneman
Quarte Versets Du Motet: Adolescentulus sum ego - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman
Quarte Versets Du Motet: Justitia tua - Patricia Petibon/Sophie Daneman

Amazon.com

It figures that the ensemble most responsible for the French Baroque revival is the one to outdo Nelson and Kirkby's legendary recording of these lamentation settings. Sophie Daneman and Patricia Petibon don't have the earlier pair's gorgeous, distinctive voices (both occasionally wobble above the staff), but they sound plenty beautiful. More importantly, they've managed to make these major-key pieces sound like lamentations. Twenty years ago, Kirkby and Nelson were pioneers: merely singing with their white tone was risky; they couldn't take many chances with rhythmic freedom. Daneman and Petibon have had time to internalize Couperin's style: they can push ahead here, hold back there, extend an unaccompanied phrase and let it drop off suddenly--following rhetoric more than rhythm, they take your breath away. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous.......2007-05-14

This album is a must for anyone who likes Bach, Desmarest, Lully, Lassus, etc. I heard one of the pieces from this album on WQXR (NY Times Radio) and fell in love with the sopranos. The balance between the voices is fantastic. Whenever I have the CD playing, my friends always ask me who it is and where they can buy it. I feel that Couperin is often overshadowed in the classical radio industry by Bach and Mozart, but this disk is so easy to listen to! Even to an untrained ear, the pieces are beautiful and seem to float from the voices of angels. You will not be disappointed!

Couperin, Lecon de tenebres.......2007-05-14

The CD arrived quickly and it was in impeccable condition. Thanks so much for the prompt delivery and for telling the truth in your ad.

Gorgeous, rare recording of the Tenebrae by Couperin.......2006-11-25

The service of Tenebrae (time of darkness--traditionally celebrated at 3 am) is a Holy Week liturgy taken from the Lamentations of Jeremiah. The other reason for the title "Darkness" is that it is accompanied by the solemn ceremony of stripping the altar before the total eclipse of Good Friday. Lighting is gradually reduced throughout the service, initially being fully lit, frequently by candles which are gradually extinguished as the service progresses, thus the name Tenebrae meaning Darkness is virtually performed as well.

Couperin's settings (composed in 1703) uses a few voices and few instrumentals in the French tradition of the service. This recording features sopranos Patricia Petibon and Sophie Daneman. The performance follows the French tradition also in the pronunciation of the Latin. The conductor took great care to reproduce the performance as the French would have heard it, and if you want the genuine experience, this recording surely comes the closest (as far as we can tell, from historical records.)

An exquisite shining pearl - perfect, simply perfect........2004-04-30

I possess every recording of these leçons that is currently available. As a soprano with a deep love for the baroque repertoire, I have performed these with fellow singer Katrena Mitchell in our duet ensemble "Sounds Sublime". The pieces themselves are as familiar to me as a byte is to a computer expert...

... and there is simply no recording to compete with this one.

It's exquisite from the very opening. In particular when Sophie Daneman and Patricia Petibon sing together, the work between the two and the ravishing vocal blend is something of which dreams are made. The pronunciation of the Latin is beautifully French, as it would have been performed at the time. The ornamentation and musicianship here is superb, as one would expect from a recording conducted by William Christie.

But the two singers are the highlight here, in this most ravishing of performances.

I have an enormous admiration for Emma Kirkby, but the recording of this work with her and Judith Nelson is stiff, unemotional, and blank in comparison with this recording. (I do not admire Nelson's voice, either, however much I admire Kirkby's.) The vocal beauty on this recording is truly sublime - this CD is one I listen to over and over again, always with a sigh and a smile.

Other versions, including a surprisingly bland rendition by Gens and Sandrine Piau, and two good countertenor versions and one not-so-good (oh dear, Deller...) are available, but nothing approaches the shimmering beauty of this version.

The pieces themselves are of heavenly beauty. I've never performed them without seeing audience members weeping with the beauty of the music.

I recommend this CD strongly.

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