Natalia Kawalek, Il Giardino d'Amore, Stefan Plewniak: Cantates et Petits Macarons

Muzyka klasyczna / Klasyczna Muzyka Barokowa
premiera polska: 16.03.2017
opakowanie: digipack
opis:
Editor's info:
This CD contains masterpieces of the best masters of French Baroque secular cantatas: Montéclair, Rameau, Clerambault, and fantastic instrumental chamber music of the genious Couperin, and Marais.

The combination of composers and choice of repertoire gives a very colourful diverse and exciting program. With the works of Clérambault, Montéclair and Rameau, the French Cantata reached a peak, pushing the limits of its theatricality and becoming increasingly more operatic. On one hand, these composers borrow the varied pace, exuberance and quick modulations from the Italian style, on the other hand, they expand the instrumental parts, using trumpets, horns, violins and even timpani, far from being a mere accompaniment to the story.

Marin Marais was one of the first to introduce trio compositions, typically used by the Italians, into France. His famous Sonnerie de Sainte Genevieve du Mont de Paris (Bells of St. Genevieve in the Hills of Paris) is an amazing example of virtuosity on the viola da gamba. François Couperin, less engaged with cantata writing than his contemporaries, is one of the most important chamber music composers of the French Baroque, in which he reaches an artistic peak with Le Gouts Reunis, and L'Apothéose de Corelli

Gramophone:
This disc from Poland consists of a pleasant mixture of French cantatas and instrumental pieces which can be enjoyed as a straightforward concert. They date from the first three decades of the 18th century, the period between the death of Lully and the rise of Rameau, which is perhaps still under-appreciated. The earliest is Le retour de la paix; exhorting mortals not to seek ‘futile glory’, it would not have gone down well with the warlike Louis XIV. Montéclair employs a flute to illustrate the possibility of peace and, paradoxically, a trumpet to celebrate its achievement. Le berger fidèle is a foretaste of the opera composer that Rameau was to become. Clérambault’s La muse de l’opéra is, not surprisingly, equally dramatic. Rushing scales on the violin illustrate a storm; a sleep scene calls up violin and flute in unison; while birdsong is airily represented by voice and flute with no continuo bass. Natalia Kawaek, more soprano than mezzo, sings all three cantatas with bright, clear tone.
The Marais sonata is a passacaglia where the violin and gamba disport themselves over a three-note bell-like phrase. It’s mesmerisingly played by Stefan Plewniak and Lucia Krommer, though the latter sounds rather distant. Plewniak is joined by Enrique Gómez-Cabrero Fernández for Couperin’s two-violin Apotheosis of Corelli. This is beautifully done, especially the well-sprung rhythms of the second movement and the flowing quavers of the third.

The presentation is a disaster. You are lured into the cardboard folder and the booklet by a picture of scrumptious-looking macaroons. After that comes a farrago of misspellings, typos, mistranslations and sheer gibberish. The translations are printed separately from the text, and no timings are given. O my, O my.
by Richard Lawrence

muzycy:
Natalia Kawalek: mezzosoprano
Il Giardino d'Amore
Stefan Plewniak: conductor and violin

utwory:
1. Vivement - Dans les maux qu'une afreuse guerre
2. Air - Pourquoi de la Parque inflexible
3. Legerement - O ciel! La fureur qui les guide
4. Récitatif - Ah! quelle est mon erreur?
5. Lent et detaché - Fille du ciel!
6. Leger et doux - Mais quel eclat soudain!
7. Récitatif - Discorde tes eforts
8. Air de Trompetes et de Musetes - Que les guerrieres trompetes
9. Corelli au piéd du Parnasse prie les Muses de le Recevoir parmi elles
10. Corelli charmé de la bonne réception qu'on lui fait au Parnasse, en marque Sa joye. Il continuë avec ceux qui L'accompagnen
11. Corelli buvant a la Source D'hypocrene. Sa Troupe Continuë
12. Enthouziasme de Corelli Causé par les eaux D'hypocrene
13. Corelli apres son enthouziasme S'endort; et sa Troupe jouë le Sommeil suivant
14. Les Muses reveillent Corelli, Et le placent aupres d'Apollon
15. Remerciment de Corelli
16. Récitatif - Pret a voir immoler l'objet de sa tendresse
17. Air plaintif - Diane , appaise ton courroux!
18. Récitatif - Mais c'est trop me livrer a ma douleur mortelle
19. Air gai - L'amour qui regne dans votre âme
20. Récitatif - Cependant a l'autel le Berger se présente
21. Air vif et gracieux Charmant Amour, sous ta puissance
22. Sonate pour violon, viola da gamba & continuo
23. Prelude - Fort gravement
24. Récitatif - Mortels, pour contenter vos desirs curieux
25. Air gay - Au son des trompettes bruiantes
26. Tempeste - Mais quel bruit interrompt ces doux amusements
27. Récitatif - Non, les Dieux attendris
28. Air fort tendrement - Oyseaux, qui sous ces feüillages
29. Sommeil - Vos concerts heureux Oyseaux
30. Prelude infernal - Mais quels novueaux accords dont l'horreur est extréme?
31. Récitatif - Ne craignons rien, un changement heureux
32. Air gay et piqué - Ce n'est qu'une belle chimere

wydano:2016-11-26

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