François COUPERIN (1668-1733)
L’Apothéose de Lully [28:46]
English Chamber Orchestra/Raymond Leppard
Les Nations: Premier ordre: ‘La Françoise’
[18:56]; Deuxième ordre: ‘L’Espagnole’ [27:52]
The Jacobean Ensemble/Thurston Dart
rec. Kingsway Hall, London, 1966 (L’Apothéose); Decca
Studios, West Hampstead, London, 1962 (Les Nations)
DECCA ELOQUENCE 480 237 2 [75:48]
François Couperin, often described as 'Couperin le grand', was the
nephew of Louis, and he ranks as the most important member of this famous
musical dynasty. It was towards the close of the 19th century that
his compositions began to make his reputation posthumously. However during
his lifetime his talents were recognised when in 1702 he received the formal
honour of 'Chevalier de l'Ordre de Latran'.
With L’Apothéose de Lully Couperin reaches to a high level
of inspiration in paying homage to a master of the previous generation. The
pacing of the whole piece across a duration of some thirty minutes is thoughtfully
achieved, and each movement is described programmatically in the score. Some
performers, for example Charles Medlam with London Baroque (BIS-CD-1275)
provide these idiomatic introductions in French, and they do communicate both
clearly and directly, adding something to the experience the music offers
the listener. In general terms the ebb and flow of the suite is effortlessly
inspired and endlessly imaginative, and my original review in November 2003
described Medlam and his players as being ‘at the top of their form’.
But clarity of articulation, sensitive stylistic phrasing and well chosen
tempi can be found also on the present reissue from the English Chamber Orchestra
under the direction of Raymond Leppard, who did so much to promote the cause
of the baroque repertoire a generation or so ago. That’s the point,
however. Since the early 1960s when Leppard’s performance was recorded,
performing practices in baroque music have changed, not least in the instruments
themselves, including most tellingly the use of gut strings. As a result Leppard,
however dedicated his standards of musicianship, lacks the authentic feel
that Medlam and other recent performers achieve.
This reissue is nicely presented in pleasing sound, with good notes by Charles
Cudworth, but for some unknown reason the banding of tracks is ill-judged
if not bizarre. There are fifteen numbers making up L’Apothéose
de Lully, so why on earth band them into five tracks?
Thankfully such strictures do not apply to the two ‘ordres’ from
Les Nations which form the remainder of the disc. Here each movement
is duly accorded its own numbered track, making it possible for the listener
to find his bearings. The excellent notes are by Thurston Dart, who directs
the performances from the keyboard. The Jacobean Ensemble, as they called
themselves, were distinguished indeed. Alongside Dart, the other members were
Desmond Dupré on gamba and the violinists Carl Pini and Neville Marriner.
The selection here comprises half of Couperin’s Les Nations:
the Troisième and Quatrième ordres, L’Impériale
andLa Piemontoise, are missing. However, since each ordre is a substantial
suite of music in its own right, this is not so much of a problem. Those wanting
the entire collection can find it well performed, for example, on ‘original’
instruments by Musica Antiqua Köln and Reinhard Goebel (Archiv 427 164:
2 CDs).
Admitting the obvious caveat that this reissue contains only half of Couperin’s
completed project, there need be no complaints about the music-making itself.
The issue of the instruments themselves is still there but the playing is
beautifully exercised and tastefully judged. Likewise the balancing of the
ensemble has been skilfully managed, so that Dupré’s contribution
on gamba makes that subtle and important contribution that chamber music such
as this will always demand. Dart’s realisation of the harpsichord part
is splendidly imaginative, while Marriner and Pini make an expert team at
the top of the texture.
The expert handling of ornaments lies at the centre of these pleasing performances,
and this sensitivity to style was absolutely central to Couperin’s priorities
when he wrote the music, concerned as he was to integrate the best of international
musical characteristics in the cause of his art.
Terry Barfoot
Well played performances from the 1960s of music by one of the great baroque
masters still sound well today though supplanted by more recent recordings.