Reinoud Van Mechelen, A Nocte Temporis - Legros, haute-contre de Gluck (2023) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. Thétis et Pelée: Ouverture
02. Thétis et Pelée, Act I: Que mon destin est déplorable
03. Thétis et Pelée, Act III: Ciel ! en voyant ce temple redoutable
04. Sylvie: Conduisez ces captifs
05. Sylvie: Air pour les cyclopes
06. Sylvie: Air gracieux
07. La fête de Flore: Amour, si tu te plais à ma douleur mortelle
08. Iphigénie en Aulide, Wq. 40: Ouverture
09. Iphigénie en Aulide, Wq. 40, Act II: J'obtiens l'objet que j'aime
10. Orphée et Eurydice, Wq. 41, Act I: Accablé de regrets
11. Orphée et Eurydice, Wq. 41, Act II: Ballet des ombres heureuses
12. Orphée et Eurydice, Wq. 41, Act II: Quel nouveau ciel pare ces lieux !
13. Orphée et Eurydice, Wq. 41, Act III: Malheureux, qu'ai-je fait… J'ai perdu mon Eurydice
14. Alexis et Daphné: Loin de ces bois charmants à regret entraîné
15. Alexis et Daphné: Vers le sommet de la montagne
16. Céphale et Procris, Act II: Parais, mortel amoureux
17. Céphale et Procris: Ballet des Nymphes de Diane
18. Céphale et Procris: Contredanse
19. Céphale et Procris, Act II: Déesse des beaux jours
20. Hylas et Églé: C'est ici que j'ai vu pour la première fois
21. Atys, Act II: Ô funeste amitié ! Confiance accablante !
22. Amadis de Gaule, W.G 39: Largo
23. Iphigénie en Tauride, Wq. 46, Act II: Quel langage accablant pour un ami qui t'aime !



Tenor Reinoud Van Mechelen concludes his trilogy dedicated to hautes-contre with "Legros, Gluck's haute-contre". Joseph Legros (1739-1793) was a singer at the Paris Opera, renowned for his extraordinary musical abilities, wide range and brilliant high notes. "His contemporaries appreciated the fact that his vocal delivery was not forced and that his taste was less mannered than that of his predecessors. His pronunciation was perfect and his face pleasing, although he did not cut a graceful figure and his stage acting left something to be desired" writes Benoit Dratwicki, of the Centre de Musique Baroque de Versailles, which is a partner in this series... Legros sparked renewed interest among modern composers for the haute-contre voice. The first to write for him were La Borde, Trial and Berton. Then came Gossec (Alexis et Daphne) and Gretry (Cephale et Procris). In 1774, Gluck's arrival in Paris marked a turning point in Legros's career: he made a name for himself in Orphee et Eurydice, caused a sensation in Iphigenie en Aulide and Iphigenie en Tauride... The title roles in Amadis de Gaule by J. C. Bach and Piccinni's Atys were the last roles in which he shone. After Legros, the haute-contre voice gradually disappeared, giving way to that of the "true tenor", a more powerful voice, but one that had difficulty tackling the high register of the old repertoire...

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