François COUPERIN
The work on the organ
It deals with pieces for the organ consisting into two masses: one for the ordinary use of Parishes for the solemn holidays, the other adapted for the convents of monks and sisters, composed by F Couperin, Sr de Crouilly, organist in St Gervais (1690).
F. Couperin was aged only 22 when he published hos two Masses. In an extremely clever writing, carrying at a high level the French inheritance of the last quarter of the century of Louis XIV's organists, and ornamented with a few Italian touches the forty two pieces of the works on the organ by Couperin already announce in a half-tint the « Goûts Réunis » (United Tastes).
« The two Masses by François Couperin look like two spring flowers, wonderful, extraordinary, fresh-blown in the end of the seventeenth century, on a stem which has its roots both in the orientations of the Council of the thirty and in the typicla evolution of French music under Louis XIV's reign .» (Georges Beyron)
Concerning plainsongs, in his « New method to learn perfectly the rules of Plainsong and Psalmodymonsieur de la Feillée, in 1670, indicates us that « you mustn't keep in step, other than trembling, when you sing in a chorus... But when only one person sings one piece, he is allowed to sing in the most properly way he can and ornament his voice without too much pretence. »
This is the choice of the solist, with Michel Laplénie (), which was performed here in the alternance between verses of the organ. The plainsongs are accompanied with the organ by a bass
The bass corresponds to the Mass of the Parishes which was written by Michel Chapuis and the Mass of the Convents by Bernard Coudurier, who performs these continuos, in the spirit of spirituos adapted to the French motet, with the bass on the keyboard of the main organ in 16 feet and the right hand on the choir organ with the bourdon stop measuring eight feet.
Music of a very young musician, brilliant but moving, strong but fragile, already deep but not distressing, this nostalgia will creep little by little in its vocal music and in music for harpsichord: « I will admit in good faith that I like better what moves me rather than what surprises me .»
One must absolutely read the extraordinary « Portrait of the artist » as well as the essay on the analysis of his life, his family life, and the psychological approach of this mysterious character through his music and historical elements present in Philippe Beaussant's work: « François Couperin », published by Fayard.
Bernard Coudurier show the clamour of the Baroque at its climax: much expressive irregularities, , a multitude of wonderfully calculated agreed effects-the style- giving even a stronger feeling oof sophisticated freedom, appearent improvisation,heightened by a very individual. To be noticed the Four Suites bu Guilain, a completely Gallicised German, a marvel of concision and stylistic homogeneity, heightened by Coudurier's performance on Albi's marvel.
Diapason
The art of the Great siecle at its climax...Coudurier shows a model of smartness and greatness in louis XVI's style, The integration of ornamentation, a vocal one, is performed with vividness and refinement. The expressive unequality is adorned with a very sophisticated sensation of a seemingly improvisation, a source both of easiness and distance. Plainsongs , with Michel Laplenie's thoroughbred timbre, reaches harmoniously the same tops. The breath and vibration of the voice, a first degree manner in baroque ornamentation- become here the vivid source of a great richness of vocal inflexions for a real magic of incantation. For the Masses for organ strictly speaking as for alternance, a reference version.
Guide de la musique ancienne et baroque
Messe pour les Paroisses - Gloria - Dialogue sur les Grands Jeux
Messes pour les Couvents - Agnus Dei - Plein jeu
François COUPERIN : Messe à l’usage des paroisses
Orgue de la Cathédrale d’Albi
Plain-Chant baroque alterné : Michel Laplénie
BNL 112725 DDD
Sortie du nouveau CD : Florilegium, Danses baroques, Muffat - Fischer - Kusser, 4 mains
Bernard COUDURIER