JEAN-JOSEPH DE MONDONVILLE
Grands Motets

CD I

De profundis (1748)

01 Chœur: De profundis clamavi
02 Récit de basse-taille: Fiant aures
03 Récit de haute-contre: Quia apud te propitiatio
04 Chœur: A custodia matutina
05 Récit de dessus: Quia apud Dominum
06 Récit de dessus et chœur: Et ipse redimet Israël
07 Chœur: Requiem æternam

Magnus Dominus (1734)

08 Récit de haute-contre et chœur: Magnus Dominus
09 Récit de dessus: Deus in domibus ejus cognoscetur
10 Chœur: Ipsi videntes sic admirati sunt
11 Récit de dessus: Secundum nomen tuum
12 Récit de dessus et chœur: Lætetur mons Sion
13 Duo de dessus: Quoniam hic est Deus
14 Chœur: Gloria Patri

CD II

Nisi Dominus (1743)

01 Récit de basse-taille: Nisi Dominus
02 Duo de dessus et basse-taille et chœur: Vanum est vobis
03 Récit de haute-contre: Cum dederit dilectis
04 Chœur: Sicut sagittæ
05 Duo de basses-tailles: Beatus vir
06 Air de basse-taille et chœur: Non confundetur

Cantate Domino (1742)

07 Chœur: Cantate Domino
08 Duo de dessus: Lætetur Israël
09 Récit de haute-contre: Adorate et invocate
10 Récit de haute-contre et chœur: Laudent nomen ejus
11 Récit de dessus: Quia beneplacitum
12 Récit de basse-taille: Exultabunt sancti in gloria
13 Chœur: Exaltationes Dei
14 Trio de dessus, haute-contre et basse-taille: Ad alligandos Reges
15 Chœur: Gloria Patri
16 Duo de haute-contre et basse-taille et chœur: Sicut erat in principio

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About this CD

Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville continued and developed the French tradition of the grand motet set in place by Lully and Lalande, and four of these motets have now been recorded for Glossa by György Vashegyi with a quintet of masterly soloists, the Orfeo Orchestra and the Purcell Choir. Vashegyi, who is fast making his name in French repertoire, has chosen the music of this underrated composer to follow up his Glossa recording of Rameau’s Les Fêtes de Polymnie.

Mondonville, who hailed from Narbonne, was at the height of his career in Paris the second third of the eighteenth century, especially at the Concert Spirituel and with the Chambre and the Chapelle du Roi. As well as operas, oratorios and instrumental music, he composed grands motets – spectacular religious works which were often performed in the public sphere. The four presented here on this two-disc set, De profundis, Magnus Dominus, Cantate Domino and Nisi Dominus are fine examples of Mondonville’s art, constantly displaying his taste for virtuosic scoring and tuneful, flowing melodies. Vocal soloists, Chantal Santon-Jeffery, Daniela Skorka, Mathias Vidal, Jeffrey Thompson and Alain Buet are all well-versed in such demands, as also prove choir and orchestra.

Louis Castelain, who has prepared editions for two of the motets, provides an illuminating survey of Mondonville’s life for this enthralling new recording made in Budapest under the auspices of the CMBV (Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles).