Les Arts Florissants & Paul Agnew – Les Maîtres du Motet (Brossard, Bouteiller) (2018) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

It’s thanks to a complete stroke of luck that several of Pierre Bouteiller’s rare works have been preserved for posterity, including this Messe à cinq voix. During a long journey from Paris to Strasbourg, Sébastien de Brossard – who was relying on the collegial hospitality of chapel masters at various churches along the route – found himself lodging with Bouteiller, who was working at Châlons-sur-Marne. The two musicians exchanged manuscripts, including thirteen motets and the Messe pour les défunts by Bouteiller, which have been found in Brossard’s private library. In order to bring these works by Brossard and Bouteiller to life, and to perform them in the manner that they were sung in their day, during funerals, Paul Agnew, leader of the Arts Florissants has chosen to insert plain-chant sections to mark different points along the cortège and the funeral rites. In the reconstruction offered in this recording, Brossard’s Miserere comes sandwiched between two organ pieces – the instrumental Kyrieby André Raison – which figures in the procession towards the tomb, and then the return to the church. The time of the Sun King is reconstructed with care, right down to the choice of acoustics (the Abbey of the Holy Trinity in Lessaye, Manche) and the selection of vocalists.

Tracklist:
1. Messe du Premier Ton: I. Premier Kyrie 01:28
2. Miserere mei Deus, SdB. 53 13:15
3. Messe du Deuxième Ton: I. Premier Kyrie 01:31
4. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : I. Stabat Mater 00:57
5. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : II. Cujus animam gementem 01:11
6. Ave verum corpus, SdB. 010 02:32
7. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : III. O quam tristis et afflicta 01:36
8. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : IV. Quæ mœrebat et dolebat 01:04
9. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : V. Quis est homo qui non fleret 01:19
10. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : VI. Pro peccatis suæ gentis 01:18
11. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : VII. Vidit suum dulcem natum 01:14
12. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : VIII. Eya Mater, fons amoris 01:08
13. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : IX. Fac ut ardeat cor meum 00:45
14. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : X. Sancta Mater, istud agas 01:01
15. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : XI. Tui nati vulnerati 01:17
16. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : XII. Virgo virginum praeclara 01:34
17. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : XIII. Fac ut portem Christi mortem 01:09
18. Stabat Mater, SdB. 008 : XIV. Quando corpus morietur 02:12
19. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : I. Introït: Requiem æternam 01:51
20. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : II. Introït. Te decet hymnus Deus, in Sion [plain-chant] 02:43
21. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : III. Kyrie eleyson 01:59
22. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : IV. Christe eleyson 01:30
23. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : V. Kyrie eleyson 01:52
24. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : VI. Si ambulem [plain-chant], in medio umbrae mortis 01:30
25. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : VII. Virga tua et baculus tuus 02:55
26. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : VIII. Offertorium. Domine, Jesu Christe 05:57
27. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : IX. Sanctus 02:11
28. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : X. Elevatio. Pie Jesu 02:52
29. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : XI. Agnus Dei 01:59
30. Missa pro Defunctis, IPB 1 : XII. Postcommunio. Lux æterna luceat eis 02:57