For Lalande's Miserere, the recording uses a manuscript copy by Sébastien de Brossard, which includes impressive faux-bourdon verses for three male voices.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded in November 2024 at Église Saint-Martin d'Amilly, with Camille Frachet as the recording producer, editor, and mastering engineer.
Composition History
François Couperin stated in his preface that he composed nine Leçons de Ténèbres, three for each Holy day, but only the three for Holy Wednesday have survived.
Compositional Technique
François Couperin's three Leçons de Ténèbres blend theatrical writing, based on the Lamentations of Jeremiah, with impressive melismatic episodes for the Hebrew letters that begin each recitation.
Historical Context
Tenebrae services had a theatrical dimension, using light and the gradual extinguishing of fifteen candles, one by one, to mark each Lesson, with the last candle hidden and then reappearing.
Interpretation
The performers chose to interpret Couperin's Leçons de Ténèbres with two male voices, based on the composer's indication that the music could be transposed for different voices.
Historical Context
In 17th and 18th century France, Tenebrae services were very important, especially during Lent when theaters and opera houses were closed, drawing music lovers to convents and churches.
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