music dictionary Archive

FRANÇOIS COUPERIN: Leçons de Ténèbres; DE BROSSARD: Trio Sonatas; Stabat Mater – Lucy Crowe & Elizabeth Watts, sops./ La Nuova Musica/ David Bates – Harmonia mundi/PIAS

by Audiophile Audition | Oct 4, 2016 | Classical CD Reviews

FRANÇOIS COUPERIN: Leçons de Ténèbres; SÉBASTIEN DE BROSSARD: Trio Sonatas; Stabat Mater – Lucy Crowe and Elizabeth Watts, sopranos/ La Nuova Musica/ David Bates – Harmonia mundi/PIAS HMU 807659, 70:20 (9-9-16) *****: Francois Couperin vs. Jean-Phillipe Rameau. Strange to think that François Couperin, harpsichordist to Louis XIV, and Rameau, the other great French harpsichordist of the time, may never have met. It would have been an interesting meeting; their music is so different, Couperin’s more delicate, more filigreed, perfumed, reflective, splendid, whereas Rameau’s was like that too, but definitely more drop-dead brilliant. For decades, Couperin lived as the more important of the two, more relevant to the original-instrument discoveries of our modern age that were spearheaded by keyboard players and instrumentalists in general, but recently as opera from all periods has become huge international business, Couperin eclipsed the younger virtuoso, in large part part if not primarily due to the spectacular pomp and circumstance of the big moments, the irresistibly catchy nature of his dance tunes, and the melting beauty of his romance. For decades, Fr. Couperin lived as the more important of the two to our modern age, but recently he has been eclipsed the younger virtuoso, in large part part […]