Songes Sacrés

Following in the footsteps of the « Leçons des Ténèbres », the French sacred music reveals an almost opera-like dramaturgy attracting the high society crowd keen on concerts and entertainments and takes a theatrical direction at the turn of the 18th century. So much so that it’s harmonic richness and smoothness sometimes shocks the most fervent devotees!

The motets and sacred stories include genre scenes as well as dream play and battle scenes, which are also typical of the French Opera.

This program highlights the repertoire written for male voices and continuo at the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. This combination was favoured at that time for its intimate tone ranging from dark to powerful and shining, thanks to the large ambitus obtained from the bass voice to the countertenor voice.

This vocal group also had a large theatrical dimension due to the different voices alternately interpreting different biblical roles (the Soul, Jesus, a prophet, Man…).