1936 Hugues Cuenod COUPERIN LECON DES TENEBRES NO. 3 JANE EVRARD PAUL DERENNE

$

40

A wonderful performance of the famous Tenebrae, meditative music to be performed during Holy week.

Couperin 3rd Tenebrae service for Wednesday of Holy Week
Troisième Leçon de Ténèbres pour le Mecredy Saint

  Sung in Latin, from Jeremiah 1:10-14.
Notes:  Originally for 2 soprani and continuo.

Victor: 3119--3120; matrix nos.: 2LA1383-2, 2LA1386-I, 2LA1384-I, 2LA1385-I.
Performer(s):  [Paul] Derenne, [Hugues] Cuenod, tenors ; Y[vonne] Gouverne´ Chorus ; [Marcelle] de Lacour, harpsichord ; [Marthe] Bracquemond, organ ; Women's Orchestra of Paris ; Jane Evrard, conductor.
Event notes:  Recorded in Europe, Dec. 3, 1937.
Description:  2 sound discs : analog, 78 rpm, mono. ; 12 in.
Contents:  1. Jod (vocalise), Manum suam (recit.), Caph (voc.) --
2. Omnis populus (recit.), Lamed (voc.), O vos omnes --
3. O vos omnes (concl.), Mem (voc.), De excelso [i.e. excelse] misit (recit.), Nun (voc.) --
4. Vigilavit jugum (recit.), Jerusalem convertere.
Other Titles:  Lec¸ons de Te´ne`bres.
Third Tenebrae service for Wednesday of Holy Week
Tenebrae service for Wednesday of Holy Week
Responsibility:  Franc¸ois Couperin ; arr. A. Hoe´re´e.

Though he became more known for his longevity then his pioneering work on disc Cuenod was part of that generation of musicians to rediscover their musical heritage in the 1930s. Jane Evrard was one such pioneer, indeed she directs the 1936 Troisième Leçon of Couperin, though of course Nadia Boulanger’s Monteverdi discs (on which Cuenod sang) were very much better known internationally. Cuenod returned to Couperin after the war by recording the Première Leçon in Boston in 1950 and adding the Trois Chansons and the Audite Omnes et Expanescite.

The earlier recording under Evrard however represents real archaeology. Cuenod impresses with his characteristic high tenor – light, elegant, focused, and capable of mezza voce and half voice of great purity. It’s a voice well known and loved at Glyndebourne and to its agility we can add the quality of fine diction. The two-soprano vocalise in the Jad, Caph and Lamed is an exquisite feature of this performance – they’re unnamed choir members but sing with expressive purity – and throughout one senses Evrard’s control and the fresh sincerity of the music making.

2x12"  78 rpm record

Condition: EXCELLENT Pristine, plays E+ EXCEPTIONALLY quiet

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