F Couperin - Les Nations
£16.10
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Label: Aparte
Cat No: AP197
Format: CD
Number of Discs: 2
Genre: Chamber
Release Date: 11th January 2019
Contents
Artists
Les Talens LyriquesConductor
Christophe RoussetAbout
Probably inspired by Corelli’s pages, whose Trio Sonata Books appeared in the 1680s, Couperin first composed ‘La Pucelle’, ‘La Visionnaire’ and ‘L’Astrée’. They are subsequently entitled ‘La Françoise’, ‘L’Espagnole’, ‘L’Impériale’ and ‘La Piémontoise’.
Despite these solemn titles, Les Nations are made more nimble by a mysterious charm as the French and Italian styles mingle.
As a crowning final of Couperin’s anniversary year, Christophe Rousset and his Talens Lyriques deliver a long-matured version of Les Nations: pure beauty and grace.
Sound/Video
Paused
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1Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Sonade
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2Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Allemande
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3Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Premiere Courante
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4Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Seconde Courante
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5Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Sarabande
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6Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Gigue
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7Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Chaconne ou passacaille
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8Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Gavotte
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9Premiere Ordre 'La Francaise' - Suite - Menuet
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10Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Sonade
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11Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Allemande
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12Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Premiere Courante
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13Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Seconde Courante
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14Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Sarabande
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15Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Gigue louree
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16Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Gavotte
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17Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Rondeau
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18Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Bourree
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19Second Ordre 'L'Espagnole' - Suite - Passacaille
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20Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Sonade
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21Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Allemande
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22Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Premiere Courante
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23Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Seconde Courante
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24Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Sarabande
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25Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Bourree
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26Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Gigue
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27Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Rondeau
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28Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Chaconne
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29Troisieme Ordre 'L'Imperiale' - Suite - Menuet
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30Quatrieme Ordre 'La Piemontaise' - Sonade
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31Quatrieme Ordre 'La Piemontaise' - Suite - Allemande
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32Quatrieme Ordre 'La Piemontaise' - Suite - Premiere Courante
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33Quatrieme Ordre 'La Piemontaise' - Suite - Seconde Courante
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34Quatrieme Ordre 'La Piemontaise' - Suite - Sarabande
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35Quatrieme Ordre 'La Piemontaise' - Suite - Rondeau
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36Quatrieme Ordre 'La Piemontaise' - Suite - Gigue
Europadisc Review
Published in 1726, but with much of the music dating from decades earlier, Les Nations comprises four pairs of sonatas and suites, scored for four parts: two treble instruments and a two-instrument continuo (bass line plus harmonic realisation). Each sonata-suite composite is given a title evoking the major cultural-political nations of continental Europe: La Françoise (France), L'Espagnole (Spain), L’Impériale (the Germanic Holy Roman Empire) and La Piémontaise (Piedmont, reflecting Italian influence). The musical styles, however, are Italianate (particularly in the introductory sonatas) and French throughout, and there is no attempt to evoke German or Spanish idioms – even the contrapuntal passages of the sonatas are in the ebullient Italian manner rather than the more sober German style. Indeed, the major external influence is the Corellian trio sonata, to which Les Nations can also be seen as a tribute.
As with many other recordings of these works, Rousset and his colleagues go for variety over homogeneity, including not just the ‘default’ trio-sonata scoring of two violins, harpsichord and string bass (here in the form of a viola da gamba), but pairs of flutes and oboes, with a bassoon and a theorbo bolstering the continuo group. This creates a dazzling range of possibilities, with even the multi-section sonatas varied from one tempo change to the next. Some may argue that the exquisite beauties of Couperin’s writing are best appreciated with a unified scoring throughout, but Les Talens Lyriques phrase so winningly, with gently inflected inégale rhythms, and offer such a dazzling array of textures, from the touchingly intimate to the almost orchestral (when all the instruments play together) that only the sternest critic could fail to fall under their spell.
So, for example, plangent oboes and bassoon colour the languorous poise of L’Espagnole’s Allemande, with occasional support from the strings, the graceful flutes of Jocelyn Daubigney and Stefanie Troffaes (one of the set’s chief glories) colour the same work’s Second Courante, while bowed strings plus theorbo emphasise Couperin’s ‘Gravement’ injunction in the following Sarabande. There’s a martial nobility to the concluding Passacaille, where all the instruments join together, particularly at the fanfare-like figures that come in the central section. Then again, for a dipping-in point to savour these performances at their finest, try the Rondeaux of L’Impériale and La Piémontaise, both marked ‘Gaiement’, which are guaranteed to bring a smile to the face.
Rousset’s harpsichord is heard in most movements, lending a pleasing brightness to the sound, which is further enhanced by the excellent recording made in the Banque de France’s marvellous 18th-century Galerie Dorée. It’s a shame that no details of the instruments are given, and Catherine Cessac’s otherwise admirable booklet notes could be twice the length given the music’s riches. But the music is definitely the main thing, and in these experienced hands it shines brilliantly, a lasting tribute to Couperin’s uniquely beguiling genius. Sometimes the best birthday presents arrive a little late, and are all the more special for it: such, happily, is the case here. A with so many of this group’s recordings on the Aparte label, no lover of Baroque music should be without this splendid (and generously priced!) pair of discs.
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