Van Helmont: Leçons de ténèbres

Achten, Nicolas, Scherzi Musicali

RIC 454

Charles-Joseph Van Helmont played a leading role in music in Brussels during the Baroque period. In 1737 he followed in the footsteps of Joseph-Hector Fiocco and composed a cycle of nine Leçons de ténèbres for solo voice and continuo. Ornamentation in the French style blends here with Italian lyricism, and each lamentation of the prophet Jeremiah is granted its own particular atmosphere. He revised one of his most beautiful Leçons of Holy Week in 1756 and added a solo cello part, also taking the opportunity to compose a completely new Leçon whose galant style surprises as much as it seduces the listener. For these works, recorded here for the first time, the Brussels-based ensemble Scherzi Musicali has here assembled three sopranos and several instrumentalists around a magnificent organ (1775) built by Guillaume Robustelly.

YB: https://youtu.be/Qe6N1gZ-Ki0

Works:

• Helmont: Fuga prima
•Helmont: Fuga quarta
•Helmont: Fuga quinta
•Helmont: Fuga seconda
•Helmont: Fuga sesta
•Helmont: Fuga terza
•Helmont: Première leçon du Jeudy Saint
•Helmont: Première leçon du Merchredy Saint
•Helmont: Première leçon du Vendredy Saint
•Helmont: Seconde leçon du Jeudy Saint
•Helmont: Seconde leçon du Merchredy Saint
•Helmont: Seconde leçon du Vendredy Saint
•Helmont: Troisième leçon du Jeudy Saint
•Helmont: Troisième leçon du Jeudy Saint (1756 Version)
•Helmont: Troisième leçon du Merchredy Saint
•Helmont: Troisième leçon du Vendredy Saint
•Helmont: Troisième leçon du Vendredy Saint (1756 Version)

CD x 1

Ricercar

5/4/23

5400439004542