Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Jéliote, haute-contre de Rameau (2021) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Jéliote, haute-contre de Rameau (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:29:27 minutes | 1,67 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Alpha Classics

Reinoud Van Mechelen and his ensemble A Nocte Temporis continue their ‘Haute-Contre Trilogy’ with Rameau’s favourite singer, Pierre de J’eliote, probably the finest haute-contre in history. (Reminder: this is a high tenor voice, not to be confused with the countertenor!) Rameau wrote an enormous amount of music for J’eliote, who was not only a singer but also a guitarist, a cellist and even a composer. The album pays tribute to this native of the B’earn region, who was born in 1713 and died at the ripe old age of eighty-four, with a selection of airs by Rameau (from Hippolyte et Aricie, Les F^etes d’H’eb’e, Plat’ee, Castor et Pollux, Les Bor’eades) but also by Dauvergne, Colin de Blamont, Mondonville, Rebel and Francoeur. Though some are well known, others are much more rarely performed today.

The haute-contre voice has these days faded from general musicological discussion to such a degree that it doesn’t even get an entry in the big-name music dictionary sitting on this particular critic’s shelf. Yet in the French Baroque and Classical period, from Lully and Rameau to Gluck, this high tenor voice – sitting in the alto range, but unlike the countertenor voice appearing to have been achieved largely without employing falsetto – was the one for which many of the leading heroic and amatory roles were penned, and could perhaps be seen as an important stepping stone towards the tenor voice eventually pinching the lead roles being from countertenors. All of which makes tenor Reinoud Van Mechelen’s “Haute-Contre Trilogy” a fascinating addition to the catalogue.

This second volume of the trilogy (following a first devoted to Louis Gaulard Dumesny, for whom Lully created many of his main roles) sees him and his ensemble turn their attentions to Rameau’s favourite singer, Pierre de Jéliote (1713-1797), who made his sung stage debut in 1733 at the Concert Spirituel, before retiring from singing in 1765 to instead join the King’s Orchestra as a violinist and guitarist. Repertoire-wise, there’s all sorts to enjoy. Inevitably, Rameau’s operas feature strongly, with offerings from Les Boréades, Castor et Pollux, Hippolyte et Aricie, Les Fêtes d’Hébé and Platée.

However we’ve very much been given the full 360-degree tour of de Jéliote’s landscape, with Dauvergne, Colin de Blamont, Mondonville, Rebel and Francoeur also on the bill. Van Mechelen himself is clear-toned and agile, bringing gentle poetry to the clearly amatory airs; and while it’s a light voice, it’s not without its power when he chooses, and you’ll by turns hear it all across Rebel’s multi-faceted Muses, je viens encor. That particular air equally showcases the sensitive, crisply light and fleet-footed support from A Nocte Temporis, with some especially enjoyable woodwind playing, across both their tutti and chamber-textured moments; and indeed the icing on the programming cake overall are the solo ensemble moments punctuating the album at regular intervals – not least the overture to Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie with which it begins. – Charlotte Gardner

Tracklist:
01. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie, RCT 43: Ouverture (02:03)
02. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie, RCT 43: Air. “Plaisirs, doux vainqueurs” (03:56)
03. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Blamont: Les fêtes grecques et romaines: Air. pur les coureurs “Le prix que la gloire présente” (04:37)
04. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rebel: Scandeberg: Air. “Muses, je viens encor” (06:29)
05. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Mion: Nitétis: Air. “Fleuve fécond” (02:58)
06. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Dardanus, RCT 35: Air. “Lieux funestes” (04:47)
07. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Platée, RCT 53: Ouverture (02:20)
08. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Platée, RCT 53: Air. “Que ce séjour est agréable” (03:46)
09. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Platée, RCT 53: Marche pour la danse (01:24)
10. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Jéliote: Zelisca: Air. “Ici les ris et les jeux” (04:26)
11. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Le temple de la gloire, RCT 59: Air. “Ces oiseaux par leur doux ramage” (04:58)
12. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Leclair: Scylla et Glaucus: Symphonie pour la descente de Vénus (02:15)
13. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Dauvergne: Les amours de Tempé: Air. “Prés fleuris” (02:58)
14. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Dauvergne: Les amours de Tempé: Musette en rondeau – 1er et 2ème rigaudon (03:20)
15. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Castor et Pollux, RCT 32: Air. “Séjour de l’éternelle paix” (03:42)
16. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Mondoville: Daphnis et Alcimadure, Op. 9: Air. “Hélas ! Qui me raméno” (02:33)
17. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Mondoville: Daphnis et Alcimadure, Op. 9: Menuet (01:07)
18. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Mondoville: Daphnis et Alcimadure, Op. 9: “Poulido pastourélo” / Air du pays (03:06)
19. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Berton: Erosine: Air. “Ce n’est pas un crime en aimant” (02:44)
20. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Borde: Ismène et Isménias: Air. “Pourquoi cruel amour” (03:49)
21. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Les Boréades, RCT 31: Air. “Charmes trop dangereux” (02:39)
22. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Les Boréades, RCT 31: Rigaudon (00:33)
23. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Les Boréades, RCT 31: Entrée des muses (05:07)
24. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Les Boréades, RCT 31: Air. “Que l’amour embellit la vie” (05:44)
25. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie, RCT 43: Entrée des habitants de la forêt (02:17)
26. Reinoud Van Mechelen & A Nocte Temporis – Rameau: Les fêtes d’Hébé, RCT 41: Air. “L’objet qui règne dans mon âme” (05:36)

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