Orchestre Les Passions – Blanchard: Magnificat a la Chapelle Royale (2016) [Qobuz FLAC 24bit/48kHz]

As Jean-Marc Andrieu presses ahead with the rediscovery of Antoine Blanchard’s works which he began thirty years ago, he has ably performed this mission — indeed, it is a joyful way of “doing justice” to his compositions! The three motets à grand chœur showcased herein – two of which have been recorded for the first time – are amongst those religious works representative of the music of Louis XV’s Chapel in the middle of the Eighteenth Century. They make a most pleasant addition to our knowledge about the musician.

Antoine Blanchard was Provençal, born in the Comtat Venaissin on the 28th of February, 1696, in Pernes-les-Fontaines. This small town was proud “to have produced so many illustrious individuals,” if one goes by Jean-Julien Giberti. He was glad to list the musician amongst fellow citizens who had been granted honours in his Histoire de la Ville de Pernes (1748). The error made by Blanchard’s first biographer, M-F. Bêche (who gave the 29th of February, the date of his baptism, as the date of his birth), has been reiterated like a legend by generations of musicographers. The musician was baptised Antonius (Antoine) and signed all his manuscripts, “A. Blanchard.” The first name Esprit (after his godfather Esprit-Joseph Castan) appears on two notarial deeds but on no royal or private certificates. Who gave this “nickname” to the engraver of his official portrait in 1767? The name “Esprit” was rejected and crossed out by his sons on his death and inheritance certificates. Over time, perhaps because of its rarity, the name has become emblematic of the individual. …

Tracklist

Antoine-Esprit Blanchard (1696-1770)
Magnificat
1 Magnificat anima mea 01:27
2 Et exultavit 02:52
3 Quia fecit 02:02
4 Et misericordia 02:24
5 Fecit potentiam 02:43
6 Deposuit 01:46
7 Esurientes 01:39
8 Suscepit Israel 02:02
9 Sicut locutus est 02:33
10 Gloria 03:20

De profundis
11 De profundis 04:22
12 Si iniquitates 01:45
13 Quia apud te 04:00
14 A custodia matutina 01:52
15 Quia apud Dominum 02:21
16 Et ipse redimet Israel 01:04
17 Requiem aeternam 04:03

In exitu Israel
18 In exitu Israel (Marche des hebreux) 04:01
19 Mare vidit et fugit 02:27
20 Montes exultaverunt 01:42
21 Quid est tibi mare 02:57
22 A facie Domini (Tremblement de terre) 01:22
23 Qui convertit petram 04:14
24 Non nobis Domine (Recit de dessus) 02:16
25 Non nobis Domine… Sed nomini tuo03:54
26 Super misericordia tua 01:43
27 Simulacra gentium 04:08
28 Non mortui laudabunt te02:00
29 Sed nos qui vivimus 03:11

Personnel
Orchestre Les Passions
Choeur de chambre Les Elements
Jean-Marc Andrieu, conductor

Download:

mqs.link_rchestreLesPassinsBlanchardMagnificatlaChapelleRyale20172448Qbuz.rar