TROIS VISAGES D’HÉCATE

Composer(s): Nicolas Bernier

Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet
Reference: KTC1576
Barcode: 8711801015767
Format: 1 CD
Release date: 2017-12-19
SKU: KTC1576 Categories: , , ,

€ 21,50

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Paris, 1700. Jean-Baptiste Rousseau and his circle were in the throes of developing a new literary and musical genre, the cantate française, — although based on an Italian model — in the Café Laurent, on the corner of the rue Laurent and the rue Christine. In order to keep his sweet-voiced mistress Mlle. De Louvancourt in good humour, Rousseau had written poems on mythological themes which he then caused to be set to music. This genre rapidly became astonishingly successful.

One of the first composers to venture into this new genre was Nicolas Bernier, a pupil of Antonio Caldara. Bernier’s musical mastery far surpassed that of his colleagues: whereas others simply imitated the Italian genre without much inspiration of their own, Bernier was able to combine it with the finest elements of the French style. He composed seven volumes of cantatas that continued to be performed until the outbreak of the French Revolution, of which the great majority have not yet been recorded. We have chosen three cantatas, Diane, L’enlèvement de Proserpine and Médée, to record here. These mythological women are each an incarnation of Hecate, the three-faced goddess: she appears as Diana, patron of the hunt, as Proserpine, goddess of the night, and as Medea, Hecate’s own high priestess.

Musically speaking, Diane from Bernier’s first volume of cantatas is his airiest work, composed for voice and continuo. A mysterious opening and a first aria with sleep as its theme soon develop into an exuberant second aria, before coming to a swift conclusion with a characteristically 18th century moral.

1. L’Aurore: Ouverture
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

2. Diane: Recitatif: A peine le Soleil
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

3. Diane: Air serieux: Vous par qui tant de miserables
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

4. Diane: Recitatif: A ces mots elle approche
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

5. Diane: Air gay: Quel bonheur! Quelle victoire!
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

6. Diane: Recitatif: L’Amour s’eveille au bruit
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

7. Diane: Air tendre: Respectons l’Amour
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

8. L’Aurore: Air tendre ‘Dormez oyseaux’
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

9. L’Aurore: Prelude, Ritornelle & Choeur ‘Que des honneurs’
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

10. L’enlevement de Proserpine: Recitatif: Les Titans enchaisnez
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

11. L’enlevement de Proserpine: Air vif: Jupiter armez vous du foudre
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

12. L’enlevement de Proserpine: Recitatif: C’en est fait
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

13. L’enlevement de Proserpine: Air tendre: J’ignorois les vives allarmes
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

14. L’enlevement de Proserpine: Recitatif: Tandis qu’a l’objet qui l’enchante
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

15. L’enlevement de Proserpine: Air: On pardonne un feu temeraire
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

16. Apollon: Ouverture
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

17. Apollon: Air
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

18. Apollon: Air gravement & Rondeau gracieusement
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

19. Apollon: Marche
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

20. Apollon: Sarabande gravement
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

21. Medée: Prelude & Recitatif: Quoy! Tu trahis Medée
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

22. Medée: Air viste: Tirans des rivages funebres
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

23. Medée: Recitatif: Courons courons chercher l’ingrat
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

24. Medée: Air tendrement: Ingrat ta cruelle inconstance
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

25. Medée: Recitatif: Dieux! Quel’indigne Amour
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

26. Medée: Air tendrement: Beautez fuyez craignez la gloire
Composer: Nicolas Bernier
Artist(s): Lieselot de Wilde, Apotheosis, Korneel Bernolet

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TROIS VISAGES D’HÉCATE
€ 21,50
Listen on your favorite streaming serviceSpotify IconSpotify
Listen on your favorite streaming serviceSpotify IconSpotify

Paris, 1700. Jean-Baptiste Rousseau and his circle were in the throes of developing a new literary and musical genre, the cantate française, — although based on an Italian model — in the Café Laurent, on the corner of the rue Laurent and the rue Christine. In order to keep his sweet-voiced mistress Mlle. De Louvancourt in good humour, Rousseau had written poems on mythological themes which he then caused to be set to music. This genre rapidly became astonishingly successful.

One of the first composers to venture into this new genre was Nicolas Bernier, a pupil of Antonio Caldara. Bernier’s musical mastery far surpassed that of his colleagues: whereas others simply imitated the Italian genre without much inspiration of their own, Bernier was able to combine it with the finest elements of the French style. He composed seven volumes of cantatas that continued to be performed until the outbreak of the French Revolution, of which the great majority have not yet been recorded. We have chosen three cantatas, Diane, L’enlèvement de Proserpine and Médée, to record here. These mythological women are each an incarnation of Hecate, the three-faced goddess: she appears as Diana, patron of the hunt, as Proserpine, goddess of the night, and as Medea, Hecate’s own high priestess.

Musically speaking, Diane from Bernier’s first volume of cantatas is his airiest work, composed for voice and continuo. A mysterious opening and a first aria with sleep as its theme soon develop into an exuberant second aria, before coming to a swift conclusion with a characteristically 18th century moral.