RESTORING A SACRED
CHORAL TRADITION

RODERIC DUNNETT listens to
Les Petits Motets de Sébastien de Brossard

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Brossard is classic of his time : a sort of refined vocal Couperin, or Daquin. Not as dramatic or ornamented as Lully, though every bit as passionate; not as forward-looking as Rameau, but a gorgeous expression of early l7th century France tastefully infiltrated by just the right measure of Italian secunda prattica.

Four solo motets and one ensemble piece are included on this disc, accompanied by theorbo and cello (the instrumental playing is exquisite - affectionate and laid back). Tenor Hervé Lamy is touching in Silentium dormi, and baritone Alain Buet (a lovely voice) [listen - track 2, 9:18 - 9:48] fervent and impassioned in the frenzied O plenus irarum dies - Sturm und Drang before its day. But the disc's star is fourteen (now fifteen) year old soprano Cyrille Dubois (O Jesu! quam dulce nomen tuum and the extended closing Miserere) [listen - track 1, 0:00 - 0:30] : a voice of remarkable allure and suppleness, and a sensitive interpreter whose musical alertness, lucid enunciation and gift at mastering problematic long line sound like a young Scholl in the making.

The ensemble in the closing sequence is tenderly supportive, with beautiful clear words, good intonation and an attractive feel for cadence and phrasing [listen - track 5, 10:09 - 11:04]. One's only regret is that alongside them, or interspersed, one would have liked to hear something of the full choir : In Convertendo, for instance, or Retribue servo tuo (recorded with the Stabat Mater and Christmas Missa quinti toni by Les Pages et les Chanteurs de la Chapelle on Auvidis-Astrée).

Most importantly with this Caen recording, it is Brossard who wins out. There is little enough in the catalogue - apart from those mentioned above - and this disc on a new French label is a heart-warming demonstration of what the new French boys' tradition can achieve.

To listen to the aural illustrations in this review, you may need to download RealNetworks' realplayer G2.