Couperin - Leçons de Ténèbres / Daneman, Petibon, Les Arts Florissants, Christie

List Price: $28.98
Our Price: $11.43
You Save: $17.55 (61%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $11.42 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details

CD Details

Music reviews of Couperin - Leçons de Ténèbres / Daneman, Petibon, Les Arts Florissants, Christie

Music Review: An exquisite shining pearl - perfect, simply perfect.
Rating: 5 Stars

... and there is simply no recording to compete with this one.

It's exquisite from the very opening. In particular when Sophie Daneman and Patricia Petibon sing together, the work between the two and the ravishing vocal blend is something of which dreams are made. The pronunciation of the Latin is beautifully French, as it would have been performed at the time. The ornamentation and musicianship here is superb, as one would expect from a recording conducted by William Christie.

But the two singers are the highlight here, in this most ravishing of performances.

I have an enormous admiration for Emma Kirkby, but the recording of this work with her and Judith Nelson is stiff, unemotional, and blank in comparison with this recording. (I do not admire Nelson's voice, either, however much I admire Kirkby's.) The vocal beauty on this recording is truly sublime - this CD is one I listen to over and over again, always with a sigh and a smile.

Other versions, including a surprisingly bland rendition by Gens and Sandrine Piau, and two good countertenor versions and one not-so-good (oh dear, Deller...) are available, but nothing approaches the shimmering beauty of this version.

The pieces themselves are of heavenly beauty. I've never performed them without seeing audience members weeping with the beauty of the music.

I recommend this CD strongly.

Description of Couperin - Leçons de Ténèbres / Daneman, Petibon, Les Arts Florissants, Christie

Classical CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop