Jean-Philippe Rameau: Grands Motets

1. In convertendo, grand motet for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 horns, violin, viola & continuo "In Convertendo"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

2. In convertendo, grand motet for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 horns, violin, viola & continuo "Tunc Repletum Est"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

3. In convertendo, grand motet for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 horns, violin, viola & continuo "Magnificavit Dominus"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

4. In convertendo, grand motet for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 horns, violin, viola & continuo "Converte Domine"/"Laudate Nomen Dei"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

5. In convertendo, grand motet for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 horns, violin, viola & continuo "Qui Seminant"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

6. In convertendo, grand motet for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 horns, violin, viola & continuo "Euntes Ibant Et Flebant"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

7. Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or organ) "Quam Dilecta"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

8. Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or organ) Cor Meum Et Caro Mea"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

9. Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or organ) "Et Enim Passer Invenit"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

10. Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or organ) "Altaria Tua"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

11. Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or organ) Beati Qui Habitant
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

12. Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or organ) "Domine, Deus Virtutum"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

13. Quam dilecta, for soloists, chorus, 2 flutes, 2 violins, viola & continuo (or organ) "Domine, Deus Virtutum"
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

14. Laboravi, for chorus & organ
Composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau
Performed by Collegium Vocale , La Chapelle Royale with Suzanne Gari , Peter Kooy , Henri Ledroit , Guy de Mey , Lieve Monbaliu , Stephen Varcoe

Jean-Philippe Rameau: Grands Motets,Peter Kooy,Stephen Varcoe,Jean-Philippe Rameau,Henri Ledroit,Collegium Vocale,La Chapelle Royale,Lieve Monbaliu,Suzanne Gari,Guy de Mey,Harmonia Mundi,Baroque Motet,Choral,Classical,Sacred Choral Music with keyboard (or continuo)

Average customer rating: Rameau in a Different Guise (It's Still Rameau!) Wonderful works, great performance Best of the best

Rameau - Les Grands Motets / Daneman, Rime, Agnew, Rivenq, Cavallier, Les Arts Florissants, Christie Jean-Philippe Rameau , William Christie , Sophie Daneman , Noémi Rime , Paul Agnew , Nicolas Rivenq , Nicolas Cavallier , Simon Heyerick , Jory Vinikour , Alix Verzier , and Les Arts Florissants Manufacturer: Erato ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Rameau | Rameau, Jean Philippe | ( R ) | 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 Similar Items: Rameau - Dardanus / Ainsley, Gens, Naouri, Delunsch, Courtis, Kozena, Les Musiciens du Louvre, Minkowski Mondonville - Grand Motets / Daneman, Wieczorek, Agnew, Piolino, Konigsberger, Bazola, Les Arts Florissants, Christie Rameau: Castor & Pollux Charpentier - La Descente d'Orphee aux Enfers / Petibon, Daneman, Zanetti, Agnew, Gardeil, Les Arts Florissants, Christie Campra: Grands Motets; William Christie ASIN: B000005EDC Release Date: 1994-11-08

Tracks:

1. 1. Gravement 'In convertendo' - Paul Agnew
2. 2. Gai 'tunc repletum est gaudio os nostrum' - William Christie
3. 3. Lent - tres gai 'Magnificavit Dominus' - Nicolas Rivenq
4. 4. Lent 'Converte Domine captivitatem nostram' - Nicolas Rivenq
5. 5. Choeur gracieux: Un peu gai 'Laudate nomen Dei cum cantico' - Sophie Daneman
6. 6. Trio: Anime 'Qui seminant in lacrimis' - Nicolas Rivenq
7. 7. Choer: Sans lenteur 'Euntes ibant et flebant' - William Christie
8. 1. Tendrement 'Quam dilecta' - Sophie Daneman
9. 2. Tendrement 'Cor meum et caro mea' - William Christie
10. 3. Gratieusement 'Et enim passer' - Paul Agnew
11. 4. Trio: Gravement 'Altaria tua' - Sophie Daneman
12. 5. Prelude: Legerement et marque 'Beati, qui habitant' - Nicolas Rivenq
13. 6. Gravement: 'Domine, Deus virtutum' - Nicolas Rivenq
14. 7. 'Domine virtutum beatus homo' - William Christie
15. 1. 'Deus noster refugium' - Paul Agnew
16. 2. Trio 'Propterea non timebimus' - Nicolas Rivenq
17. 3. Prelude du choeur: Vivement 'Sonuerunt et turbatae sunt' - Nicolas Rivenq
18. 4. Gayment 'Fluminis impetus' - Noemi Rime
19. 5. Doux 'Deus in medio ejus' - Nicolas Cavallier
20. 6. Quatuor 'Conturbatae sunt gentes' - Nicolas Rivenq
21. 7. Prelude du choeur: Gay 'Dominus virtutum nobiscum' - Nicolas Rivenq
22. 8. Legerement 'Venite et videte' - Paul Agnew
23. 9. Legerement 'Arcum conteret et confringet arma' - Nicolas Rivenq
24. 10. Prelude du choeur: Gay 'Dominum virtutum nobiscum' - William Christie

Amazon.com essential recording

Rameau's grands motets were written for concert performance; the florid solos, grand choruses and important orchestral participation are very reminiscent of French Baroque opera. The motets are, however, much more interesting to the casual listener: there is no recitative; the arias, duo and trios are full of extended melody and ornament; the choruses have an unusual amount of counterpoint (including the occasional fugue). William Christie and Les Arts Florissants perform this music with all the grace and authority one could wish for. Special mention: each motet begins with a movement for solo voice with flute(s) and strings--the singing of Paul Agnew and Sophie Daneman in these movements is delectable. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Rameau in a Different Guise (It's Still Rameau!).......2005-07-28

Rameau is one of those composers, like Mozart, whose style did not vary greatly from one genre to the next. Both could be accused of writing sacred music that is too operatic in nature. This is especially true of Rameau; you will hear music in these Grand Motets that might have come from one of his many operas. Is this a bad thing? Not at all. In his operas, Rameau was more concerned, it seems, with expanding the role of the orchestra and chorus, and with achieving musical fidelity to the text, than with deep psychological exploration of character. In his sacred music, the same concerns produce ensembles that, rich though the counterpoint may be, convey the text with utter clarity; try the remarkable quartet "Conturbatae sunt gentes" from "Deus Noster Refugium." These concerns also produce lively--or poignant--but always fluid choruses and charming orchestral effects, especially in the winds. Only Rameau could achieve the wonderful colors that flutes, oboes, and bassoons lend to the slow solos and choruses. They're almost like another choir of voices. This is gorgeous music.

William Christie and Les Arts Florissants are superb advocates. The orchestra makes wonderful sounds, and the chorus tosses off Rameau's coloratura with great aplomb. Of the soloists, Paul Agnew and Sophie Daneman are especially praiseworthy, but everyone involved contributes to the thorough success of this endeavor. There is great presence to the sound as well. It's a fairly close recording but with plenty of air and with a perfect balance among the forces involved. A disc to be cherished.

Wonderful works, great performance.......2001-10-19

Rameau is one of those endlessly surprising composers - you think you know Rameau through his highly inventive keyboard music, and then you realize you missed the fact that he's a great orchestral genius. And then a great opera composer - and here as a genius of choral music. The music of the Motets is complex and yet, as always with Rameau, with a very "straight to the heart" emotional content. Bill Christie and his Les Arts Florissants are the perfect ensemble to convey the maximum output from this wonderful music. Enjoy!

Best of the best.......1999-03-13

This is an extraordinary performance which deservedly received the Gramophone best vocal CD award for 1995. Rameau's music is very recognizable, its distinctive flavor evident in the melodic structure of the motets and in the agrements with which they are performed. This flavor is characteristically French, permeating French baroque music generally, yet present in Rameau's compositions in its purest, most refined, strain. Even in motets which are, as the name implies, of a religious origin, Rameau's music is animated, espressive and individualized. Whether or not it was performed in a church or in a salon, it implies a radical personal relationship with God, as opposed to serving merely as part of an impersonal medium between the holder and the recipient of truth, the role the earlier church music (e.g. Gesualdo) served. For this reason, Rameau's motets are surprisingly gripping, in a way that can appeal even to a casual listener. They are also superbly performed. Christie, a notable expert in French baroque, offers a finely tuned yet emotional account of these motets. Some of the best baroque soloists, all of whom enjoy a lasting and productive relationship with Christie, make memorable contributions to this recording. I was particularly impressed with the singing of Paul Agnew, Christie's favorite tenor at the moment, and Nicolas Rivenq whose basse-taille is simply glowing. Like I said, these soloists have made a number of other recordings with Christie which, I think, anybody with the remotest interest in baroque should definitely discover. My personal favorite is La Descente d'Orphee aux Enfers, with Agnew.

Average customer rating: Brilliant, outclasses Herreweghe's 1982 recording A French Baroque gem

Rameau - Les Grands Motets / Gens · Desrochers · Fouchécourt · Lamy · Harvey · Loureiro de Sa · Imbodem · Le Concert Spirituel · Niquet Jean-Philippe Rameau , Hervé Niquet , Véronique Gens , Jean-Paul Fouchécourt , Le Concert Spirituel , Isabelle Desrochers , Peter Harvey , Marcos Loureiro de Sa , Stephan Imbodem , and Hervé Lamy Manufacturer: EMI Int'l ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Rameau | Rameau, Jean Philippe | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music ASIN: B00000IG3E Release Date: 2002-12-23

Tracks:

1. Deus noster refugium
2. Deus noster refugium: Propterea non timebimus
3. Deus noster refugium: Somuerunt et turbatae sunt
4. Deus noster refugium: Fluminis impetus
5. Deus noster refugium: Deus in medio ejus
6. Deus noster refugium: Conturbatae sunt gentes
7. Deus noster refugium: Dominus virtutum nobiscum
8. Deus noster refugium: Venite et videte opera Domini
9. Deus noster refugium: Arcum conteret
10. Deus noster refugium: Dominus virtutum nobiscum
11. Quam dilecta: Quam dilecta tabernacula tua
12. Quam dilecta: Cor meum et caro mea
13. Quam dilecta: Etenim passer invenit sibi domum
14. Quam dilecta: Altaria tua
15. Quam dilecta: Beati qui habitant in domo ta
16. Quam dilecta: Domine, Deus virtutum
17. Quam dilecta: Domine virtutum, beatus homo
18. In convertendo, Dominus
19. In convertendo: Tunc repletum est gaudio nostrum
20. In convertendo: Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum
21. In convertendo: Converte, Domine, captivatem nostram
22. In convertendo: Laudate nomen Dei cum cantico
23. In convertendo: Qui seminant in lacrimis
24. In convertendo: Euntes ibant et flebant

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant, outclasses Herreweghe's 1982 recording.......2005-01-27

Jean-Philippe Rameau is remembered today mainly for his stage works ("Hippolyte et Aricie", "Platée", "Les Indes Galantes"), all written after he had spent many years working as an organist and keyboard player in relative obscurity. During this time he was employed by the Church, and the motets gathered on this recording bear testimony to his earlier work, being the three motets that have survived. (There is a fourth work, "Laboravi", which consists of only one verse and needs less than three minutes to perform; Niquet has chosen to leave it out of this performance.) They are wonderfully varied and make it very evident that lovers of baroque music ignore France and Rameau in particular at their peril. Here there is some delightful choral singing and absolutely heavenly instrumental parts, capped by some of the most attractive solo singing I have heard recently: I don't want to pick out any one of the soloists because they all deserve unmitigating praise. The 1993 Radio France recording is brilliant, capturing all the nuances of this complex music in a broad, transparent panorama that makes for exquisite listening pleasure.

I was able to compare Niquet's disc with the Harmonia Mundi recording of "In convertendo" and "Quam dilecta" made by Philippe Herreweghe and his Chapelle Royale in 1982 in a church in Ghent in Belgium. Herreweghe, too, had some wonderful soloists, but the recording is to my mind inferior to the Niquet because of the sound quality: the singers are much more distant and much less brilliantly captured on disc, also I felt that the English singer Stephen Varcoe (baritone) was not quite up to the standard on the Concert Spirituel recording. Herreweghe only recorded two of Rameau's "grand motets", but he added "Laboravi", so if you need to hear that you will have to buy both discs.

A French Baroque gem.......2000-02-08

Herve Niquet's conscientious conducting and a cast that's a veritable who's who of French baroque vocal work make this rerelease of a 1993 French recording well worth a listen. Rameau was unquestionably a musical genius, and so it's a bit upsetting that only four of the many sacred works he must have written during his life have survived to this day; three of them are on this recording. Because of the chronological organization of the three motets, one can truly hear the development of Rameau's artistry, technical sophistication and mastery of form. The last motet, In Convertendo, should convince anyone that the underappreciated Rameau deserves a place in the high throne of baroque music. Certainly the French believe so; his somewhat hunched marble form graces the entrance of the Paris Garnier.

High praises must go to the crystalline playing of Le Concert Spirituel, whose sense of balance, baroque musical practice, and spiritual ardor are essentially perfect. The emsemble singing is splendid, tight and unified without being overly blended. And I can't help but be completely entralled by the ringing, angelic timbre of haute-contre Jean-Paul Fouchecourt, who gives the "aria" in "In Convertendo" the sort of incredibly passionate attack that makes one listen to every note as if it were a vindication of the power, and struggle, of the human spirit. A similar sense of struggle and pleading comes across in "Converte," in the same motet, in which a pensive bass solo is interrupted several bars later by an utterly cheerful Rameauian violin riff that musically paints the next line of the text from psalm 125: "We sigh after thee as the lands of the south sigh after the overflowing waters that feed them." In what you could call musical transubstantiation, we actually hear the waters. Rameau had the enviable talent for combining his musical dexterity with a vivid, if somewhat literal, imagination, and so he brings a glowing, vibrant color to his sacred writing; fortunately for us, Niquet and his devoted cast of singers and instrumentalists have the same talent.

Average customer rating: An outstanding re-release

Rameau: Les Grands Motets Manufacturer: Hmf Musique D'abord ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Rameau | Rameau, Jean Philippe | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Choruses | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Choruses | Opera & Vocal | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music 4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music 4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B00004TVGD Release Date: 2000-08-15

Customer Reviews:

An outstanding re-release.......2003-02-10

This is a re-release of the 1982 Harmonia Mundi CD, information on which can be found elsewhere of the Amazon website. Suffice to say here that I found the 1982 CD a revelation!

Average customer rating: A revelation

Jean-Philippe Rameau: Grands Motets Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Rameau | Rameau, Jean Philippe | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ASIN: B0000007I5 Release Date: 1996-11-08

Customer Reviews:

A revelation.......2002-01-06

It's amazing that Rameau, Vivaldi, Bach and Handel were contemporaries but their sacred music is so different. There is almost nothing on this CD that sounds anything like those other composers. Rameau's rhythm and extreme ornamentation is unique. His long melodies are delightful. His orchestration is elegant. A good place to hear all these elements of his style is in the wonderful aria for soprano and chorus, "Laudate nomen Dei cum cantico" on track 4 of this CD.

Every section of this collection of three "grand motets" is beautiful. The ensemble of period instruments under Philippe Herreweghe and the soloists are excellent. Unfortunately the liner notes does not identify who sings which solos, but I especially enjoyed the bass in "Domine, Deus virtutum" and in the recitative "Converte Domine" that introduces "Laudate nomen Dei", the tenor in "Et enim passer invenit" (even though his Latin diction is very strange), the instrumental ensemble in the air, "Quam dilecta" that introduces the grand motet of the same name, and the chorus in "In convertendo".

I wish the liner notes had more information about the music, including texts (so I could sing along!), instead of just a brief biography of Rameau (in three languages). But that is a minor quibble. This is a great CD!

Track Listings:

1. Jennifer Larmore: A Portrait
2. Joseph Haydn: Six Trios for Transverse Flute, Violin & Cello, Vol. 2 - Barthold Kuijken, Sigiswald Kuijken & Wieland Kuijken
3. Klaviernacht
4. Lachner: String Quartet in G Op169; String Quartet in Em Op173
5. Lachner: String Quartets, Vol. 1
6. Landler for Piano
7. Maurice Ravel: Musique Symphonique
8. Messe de Tournai, XIVe siècle
9. Mozart: Complete Keyboard Stas I
10. Mozart: Piano Concert Nos.20 & 23

Track Listings

track listings

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