COMPOSERS: Delalande
LABELS: Harmonia Mundi
WORKS: Te Deum; Super flumina Babilonis; Confitebor tibi Domine
PERFORMER: Les Arts Florissants/William Christie
CATALOGUE NO: HMD 941351 Reissue (1991)
While in royal service, Delalande elevated the French Baroque motet to its height, contrasting solo and ensemble vocal and instrumental groupings. With spacious recordings, Les Arts Florissants constantly delight with excellently judged changes of pace and mood, blending lightness and breadth in the ensembles (the opening chorus of Super flumina Babilonis for instance) and beautifully focused expression in the solos (as in the ravishing ‘Tu ad liberandum’ in the Te Deum). Ultimately, the chorus ‘Memor erit in saeculum’ and the elaborate final Gloria in this group’s stylish rendering of Confitebor tibi Domine pay most eloquent homage to both God and king. Nicholas Rast
Delalande
While in royal service, Delalande elevated the French Baroque motet to its height, contrasting solo and ensemble vocal and instrumental groupings. With spacious recordings, Les Arts Florissants constantly delight with excellently judged changes of pace and mood, blending lightness and breadth in the ensembles (the opening chorus of Super flumina Babilonis for instance) and beautifully focused expression in the solos (as in the ravishing ‘Tu ad liberandum’ in the Te Deum).
Our rating
4
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:34 pm