André RAISON: Organ mass on the third and the eighth tone

Vox Cantoris ensemble,
Jean-Christophe Candau
 
Jean-Patrice Brosse, 
Cintegabelle and La Flèche military Prytanée Organs
 
“CD of the month” Radio Notre-Dame, February 2010
Nominated in 2010 by the French Académie du Disque Lyrique
 
André Raison was one of the greatest organists of the reign of the Sun King. The Psalmus label has just recorded a double CD reuniting two of his most beautiful masses reconstituted in their exact liturgical context, alternating with baroque plain song. The Vox Cantoris ensemble, a specialist of ancient liturgical repertoires, sings in alternation with the organ played by Jean-Patrice Brosse.
 
Such a reconstitution, which might seem classical today has never been recorded before, as far as André Raison is concerned, as are the two masses in “3e et 8e tons”. The plain chant masses admirably composed by Henry du Mont and Paul d’Amance, were chosen because they alternate perfectly with Raison’s organ work.
 
Considered equal to François Couperin, who is better known today, André Raison’s extremely fine writing is of the best baroque organ style, and is characterized by rich and sparkling colours. The organs of Cintegabelle and La Flèche, which existed at the time of Raison, were chosen as the most apt to restitute the complete variety of stops and tones required for this music.
 
The final result is striking, not only the contrast between the agility of the instrumentation and the depth of the human voice, but also the dialogue which is almost palpable between the two, and the disturbing impression of having been introduced into a sumptuous ceremony of the Ancien Régime.
 
CD 1 : Messe du 3° ton
1 à 5 - Kyrie 11'42
6 à 15 - Gloria 14'39
16 - Offertoire : Autre Agnus Dei 1'57
17 - Dialogue de la préface 2'09
18 - Préface 1'09
19 à 21 - Sanctus 4'31
22 - Guédron : Ave verum Corpus 3'35
23 - Elévation 3'58
24 & 25 - Agnus Dei 4'10
26 - Ite missa est 1'18
 
CD2 : Messe du 8° ton
1 à 5 - Kyrie 10'00
6 à 15 - Gloria 16'30
16 - Offerte du 5° ton 7'19
17 - Préface 0'51
18 à 20 - Sanctus 4'30
21 - O salutaris hostia 2'47
22 - Elévation 2'52
23 & 24 - Agnus Dei 4'50
25 - Domine salvum fac regem 1'50
26 - Ite missa est 3'01
 
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