Boësset: Je meurs sans mourir (Alpha Collection)

Featuring

Vincent Dumestre
Le Poème Harmonique
Antoine Boësset

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Composer's Artistic Vision

Boesset prioritized quality over quantity in his compositions, stating that he "willingly leaves quantity to others, and who works for the elite rather than the masses."

Composer Biography

Anthoine Boesset (1587-1643) was a French singer and composer who served as Maître de la Musique for both the King and Queen, and later as Surintendant of Music.

Recording & Production

This album was recorded in November 2003 at the Chapelle de l'Hôpital Notre-Dame de Bon-Secours in Paris, France.

Compositional Technique

Boesset's innovations, particularly his récits and dialogues for voice with lute, gave the air de cour a more "galant" style that influenced later composers.

Historical Context

The Ballet des voleurs (Ballet of thieves), composed by Boesset in 1624, was a thinly veiled critique of Spanish colonialist claims, reflecting the diplomatic tensions between France and Spain.

Composition History

Boesset's secular works, published between 1606 and 1643, are considered a prime example of the evolution of the air de cour, a popular French song genre.

Cultural Impact

Despite political tensions, Spanish culture, including guitar methods by figures like Luis de Briceño, was popular in Parisian social circles outside the French court.