Comédie et tragédie, Vol. 2

Featuring

Tempesta di Mare
Jean-Marie Leclair
Marc-Antoine Charpentier
Jean-Philippe Rameau

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Composition History

The comédie-ballet genre, featured on this album, was invented by French playwright Molière out of necessity to combine ballet and comedy, allowing dancers time to change costumes between acts.

Compositional Technique

Jean-Marie Leclair's opera 'Scylla et Glaucus' features orchestral writing with a strong focus on strings, requiring them to produce a variety of effects, such as fleet violin passages.

Historical Context

This album features suites from three French dramatic works spanning 73 years, showcasing the importance of dance in French stage productions of the era.

Performer Biography

Tempesta di Mare, the Philadelphia Baroque Orchestra, performs all orchestral works without a conductor, reflecting the practice when this music was new.

Recording & Production

This Chandos recording uses 24-bit/96 kHz technology, which offers a dynamic range up to 48 dB greater and 256 times the resolution of standard 16-bit recordings.

Composer Biography

Marc-Antoine Charpentier, composer of the suite from 'Le Malade imaginaire', was trained in Rome by church-associated composers and was patronized by the wealthy and devout Mademoiselle de Guise.

Compositional Technique

In Jean-Philippe Rameau's 'Les Fêtes de Polymnie', the 'Ouverture' was recognized by critics for its ingenuity, departing from the traditional Lullian overture with dissonances and a symphonic feel.