Fricassée Parisienne

Fricassée Parisienne
Chansons de la Renaissance française
Ensemble Clément Janequin - Dominique Visee
Harmonia Mundi HMC 40 1174 [Cass.]
Harmonia Mundi HMC 90 1174 [CD]
Harmonia Mundi "musique d'abord" HMA 43 1174 [Cass.]
Harmonia Mundi "musique d'abord" HMA 195 1174 [CD]

Contents:

  1. Janequin: Qu'est ce d'amour?
  2. De Maire: Une bergère un jour
  3. Sermisy: Tant que vivray
  4. Sermisy: Le content est riche
  5. Passereau: Il est bel et bon
  6. Morlaye: Gaillarde for the lute
  7. Crecquillon: Un gay berger
  8. Crecquillon: Petite fleur coincte et jolye
  9. Clereau: Comment au départir
  10. Morlaye: Fantasy for the lute #10
  11. Janequin: En m'en venant de veoir
  12. Crespel: Fricassée
  13. Costeley: La prise de Calay - Hardis Françoys
  14. Sandrin: Doulce mémoire
  15. Certon: Fini le bien (réponse de "Doulce mémoire")
  16. Costeley: Elle craint l'esperon
  17. Anonyme (Attaignant): Fricassée
  18. Gentian: Dieu qui conduictz - Echo
  19. Gentian: Je suis Robert
  20. De Rippe: D'amours me plains
  21. Delafont: A ce matin
  22. Sermisy: Las je m'y plains
  23. Janequin: Ung jour Robin
  24. Ninot le Petit: Mon amy m'avoit promis

Performers:

Ensemble Clément Janequin
Dominique Visse (countertenor), Michel Laplénie (tenor), Philippe Cantor (baritone), Antoine Sicot (bass), Claude Debôves (lute)

Playing time: 54'

Recording date: February 1985;
Rel.: 1985 (HMC), 1990 (HMA 40), 2000 (HMA 90)

Excerpts:
[1], [3], [5], [12]-[13], [22] Harmonia mundi HMX 290 8016 / 20 [CDx5] Musique de la Renaissance Music - L'Europe Musicale au XVe et XVIe siècles
[3], [5], [13] Harmonia mundi HMX 290 8171 [CD] A History of Music, vol. 9: Chansons, Madrigaux & Songs à la Renaissance (1500-1600) / Songs & Madrigals from the Renaissance - Chansons de la Renaissance / Songs of the Renaissance

Compilation:
Harmonia Mundi HMX 290 8054/56

This CD presents a mish-mash of French Renaissance chansons, covering various composers such as Janequin, Sermisy, Certon Costeley.

We have another excellent example of the Parisian chansons, based on the principle of the "Fricassée", which is a kind of musical salad, mixing at the four parts, four differents words, giving extracts from well-known songs from that era. The history of this practice is old, as we can find in old medieval motets, mixing sacred and secular texts together.
Some "hits" are also illustrated here as "Tant que vivray" or "Doulce Mémoire" on which Roland de Lassus based one of his mass. As always Janequin is shown here as the master of that art with a couple of songs, illustrating his versatile manner. Concerning the interpretation, these four singers were the best union possible for this repertoire (Check "Ung jour Robin" to understand what I mean.

For this repertoire see also Le Chant des Oyseaulx

Bruno Cornec

A fine recent program featuring similar material:

Attaignant: Chansons Nouvelles & Danceries
Ensemble Doulce Mémoire - Denis Raisin-Dadre
Astrée 8545

And a recording devoted entirely to Pierre Certon:

Pierre Certon: Chansons / Messe "Sus le pont d'Avignon"
Boston Camerata - Joel Cohen
Harmonia Mundi "Musique d'abord" 1901034

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Todd M. McComb