A sophisticated composer, Brossard also left his mark thanks to the extraordinary collection of music manuscripts he amassed over the course of his life. Preserved for posterity when he catalogued and handed it over to the royal library in 1724, the compendium contains an impressive number of musical gems like the Requiem by Bouteiller, which Brossard counted among the best Mass settings in his possession. Focusing on the work of these French masters, Paul Agnew has fashioned a program exploring the role of cathedral and chapel choirs during the reign of Louis XIV.
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REVIEW:
Nineteen singers, including seven soloists – voices of character in vibrant ensemble – plus continuo collaborate with grace, solemnity, elegant expression, sublime refinement, and exquisitely tasteful phrasing. There is some solo singing of ineffable sweetness and the performers give every impression of total immersion in early 18th-century French culture.
