Highlight from the French Baroque

The world-famous harpsichordist and conductor Christophe Rousset performs together with the renowned sopranos Michèle Bréant and Suzanne Jérosme, as well as the critically acclaimed viola da gamba player Atsushi Sakaï. On the program, we find Leçons de Ténèbres and the first suite from Pièces de violes by the French baroque composer François Couperin. Leçons de Ténèbres, written for the Holy Week in 1713, is today considered to be Couperin’s foremost contribution to church music. This specific church music genre has roots as far back as the Renaissance, and the text – directly translated to “lessons of darkness” – is taken from the Book of Lamentations in the Bible, with the story about the destruction of Jerusalem 2600 years ago as its backdrop. The contrast between the beauty of the music and the text’s dwelling on the brutality of war, is striking in Couperin’s work. Rousset says about Couperin’s work:

Leçons de Ténèbres is the absolute pinnacle of Baroque music. The Christian faith was a given at the time, and Couperin’s devotion shines through his music, with an intensity that is truly overwhelming. It is a revelation every time you listen to the work, and even after performing it so many times, I still find joy in returning to it: with new voices, the music receives a new timbre and a new meaning. Jeremiah’s lamentations are deeply personal, and at the concert during the festival, the sopranos are the ones carrying them. Michèle and Suzanne’s voices are fleeting, transparent, and lift us up. Couperin surpasses everything: it is at the same level as Bach’s “Mass in B minor” and Monteverdi’s “Vesper”.

Rousset and his co-musicians perform Première suite en mi mineur from “Pièces de violes”, which is assumed to be written as a homage to Marin Marais, the great virtuoso of the viola da gamba. Couperin’s Pièces de Violes, released in 1728, is today considered a masterpiece of baroque chamber music, and a highlight of the repertoire for viola da gamba.