Reinoud Van Mechelen and A Nocte Temporis – Dumesny, haute-contre de Lully (2019) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Reinoud Van Mechelen and A Nocte Temporis – Dumesny, haute-contre de Lully (2019)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:17:11 minutes | 1,52 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Alpha Classics

Who was Louis Gaulard Dumesny? Dumesny was not the first haute-contre historically speaking, but he was the first to have become famous in his lifetime. Sources agree that he was a cook when Lully discovered him. He made his debut in 1677 and everyone was amazed by his acting, the power of his voice and also his ability to learn everything by ear, since he could not read music. A few centuries later, Reinoud Van Mechelen, star tenor of the international Baroque scene, has decided, with his ensemble A Nocte Temporis, to pay tribute to this ‘haute-contre’ register, a high tenor voice (not to be confused with the countertenor!), by devoting three recordings to it, paying tribute in turn to Lully, Rameau and Gluck. The first part of this trilogy therefore contains the finest operatic airs and suites by Lully, featuring excerpts from Isis, Persée, Armide, Amadis, Acis et Galatée and Achille et Polyxène, but also pieces by Marin Marais (Alcide), Marc-Antoine Charpentier (Médée), Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre (Céphale et Procris), Henry Desmarets, Pascal Colasse, Charles-Hubert Gervais and André Cardinal Destouches.

Reinoud van Mechelen excels in the baroque repertoire, to which he has dedicated several records from his ensemble A Nocte Temporis, also with Alpha. In this new album, the first of a trilogy which will cover Lully, Rameau and Gluck, he doesn’t play the role of a fictional character, but rather of a real-life tragedian and singer who was very famous in his day: Dumesny. The latter was working in the kitchens when Lully heard his fine counter-tenor voice. As he couldn’t read music, he had to learn his arias by ear. His frequently-imperfect intonation was – happily – compensated by a great talent for acting.

His rare tessitura – a high tenor’s voice – opened him the door into the world of French musical tragedy in the Grand Siècle. In the first segment of this three-part project, undertaken with the support of the Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, Reinoud van Mechelen sings Lully and his contemporaries (Marais, Charpentier, Desmarest, Collasse, Gervais and Destouches) with impeccable accuracy, articulation and feeling. Conceived as a tragedy for a singer, the programme contains a rich collection of arias: “cruels tourments” and “amoureuse inquiétude” form a “charmant concert” and the musicians of A Nocte Temporis lend the soloist a dramatic backing that befits the dramas weaved by his voice. This will thrill fans of the music of the Grand Siècle and baroque-lovers alike. – Elsa Siffert

Tracklist:
01. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Isis, LWV 54 : Ouverture (02:07)
03. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Armide, LWV 71 : Plus j’observe ces lieux, et plus je les admire (01:36)
04. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Amadis, LWV 63 : Bois épais, redouble ton ombre (03:30)
05. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Acis et Galatée, LWV 73 : Faudra-t-il encore vous attendre… (02:30)
06. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Acis et Galatée, LWV 73 : Ritournelle (01:41)
07. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Achille et Polyxène, LWV 74 : Patrocle va combattre, et j’ai pu consentir… (00:34)
08. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Miserere, LWV 25 (02:44)
09. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Achille et Polyxène : Quand, après un cruel tourment… (01:10)
10. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Achille et Polyxène : Entracte (01:31)
11. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Achille et Polyxène : Ah! Que sur moi… – Prélude (01:16)
12. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Alcide : Mon amoureuse inquiètude (01:16)
13. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Alcide : Ne pourrais-je trouver de remède… (02:45)
14. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Thétis et Pelée : Ciel ! En voyant ce temple redoutable… (05:50)
15. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Enée et Lavinie : J’entends d’agréable concerts… (05:03)
16. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Didon : Infortuné que dois-je faire?… (03:11)
17. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Didon : Le soleil est vainqueur (instrumental) (03:21)
18. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Médée, H.491 : Que je serais heureux, si j’étais moins aimé !… (01:35)
19. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Médée, H.491 : Second air pour les Argiens – Sarabande (02:43)
2. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Persée, LWV 60 : Cessons de redouter la fortune cruelle (03:17)
20. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Céphale et Procris : Amour, que sous tes lois… (02:39)
21. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Théagene et Cariclée : Ma vertu cède au coup… (03:15)
22. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Les amours de Momus : Lieux charmants, retraites tranquilles… (01:41)
23. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Méduse : Air – Sarabande – Menuet (04:10)
24. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Les fêtes galantes : Ebbro far voglio il mio core… (02:59)
25. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Circé : Sommeil – Ah! Que le sommeil est charmant… (05:31)
26. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – Amadis de Grèce : Hélas! Rien n’adoucit… (03:35)
27. Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis – L’Europe galante : Sommeil – Sommeil, qui chaque nuit… (05:28)

Personnel:
A Nocte Temporis
Reinoud van Mechelen, conductor

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