Rameau - Les Grands Motets / Daneman, Rime, Agnew, Rivenq, Cavallier, Les Arts Florissants, Christie

Jean-Philippe Rameau (Artist), William Christie (Artist), Sophie Daneman (Artist), Noémi Rime (Artist), Paul Agnew (Artist), Nicolas Rivenq (Artist), Nicolas Cavallier (Artist), Simon Heyerick (Artist), Jory Vinikour (Artist), Alix Verzier (Artist), Les Arts Florissants (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 8, 1994)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Erato
• ASIN: B000005EDC
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #189,000 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

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

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the best, March 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rameau - Les Grands Motets / Daneman, Rime, Agnew, Rivenq, Cavallier, Les Arts Florissants, Christie (Audio CD)

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.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rameau in a Different Guise (It's Still Rameau!), July 28, 2005

By 

M. C. Passarella "lpassarella" (Lawrenceville, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Rameau - Les Grands Motets / Daneman, Rime, Agnew, Rivenq, Cavallier, Les Arts Florissants, Christie (Audio CD)

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.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful works, great performance, October 18, 2001

By 

Itamar Ronen (Boston, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rameau - Les Grands Motets / Daneman, Rime, Agnew, Rivenq, Cavallier, Les Arts Florissants, Christie (Audio CD)

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!