Guédron: Airs de Cour

Soupirs Meslés d'Amour
Guédron: Airs de Cour
Claudine Ansermet / Paolo Cherici
Symphonia 96153

Contents:

  1. Vallet: Prelude III
  2. Cessés mortels de soupirer
  3. Vallet: Prelude XIII
  4. Un jour l'amoureuse Silvie
  5. Mertel: Praeludium 175
  6. Quel espoir de guarir
  7. Mertel: Praeludium 131
  8. Doncques par force
  9. Ballard: Première entrée de luth
  10. Soupirs meslés d'amour
  11. Vallet: Prelude VIII
  12. Je voudrois bien chanter
  13. Ballard: Cinquiesme entrée de luth
  14. C'en est fait je ne verray plus
  15. Lors que Leandre amoureux
  16. Francisque: Prelude
  17. Quel excès de douleur
  18. Mertel: Praeludium 109
  19. Aux plaisirs, aux delices bergeres
  20. Mertel: Praeludium 97
  21. En fin le juste Ciel
  22. Mertel: Preludium 207
  23. Ce penser qui sans fin
  24. Mertel: Praeludium 93
  25. Quand premier je la veis
  26. Quoy? faut-il donc qu'Amour
  27. Mertel: Praeludium 179
  28. Si jamais mon ame blessée
  29. Mertel: Praeludium 3
  30. Donc ceste merveille des cieux

Performers: Claudine Ansermet (soprano), Paolo Cherici (lute)

Playing time: 70'

Recording date: October 1995 (Bologna)

Pierre Guédron (c.1570-c.1620) was one of the leading composers of French songs in the early 17th century, and one of the more abstract musicians in this new lighter style. His early songs reflect the teachings of Le Jeune and continue into the more declamatory settings of the time. He was named composer to the King's Chamber by Henry IV in 1600, and organized a wide range of activities in that context. Most of the present airs were originally written for the Royal ballets of the time, while the others would have been written for private salons (already established in Paris by this time). They were published in an array of publications ranging from 1608 to 1620.

The present performance adopts the documented practice of the time, namely ornamenting successive verses with virtuoso figures at the discretion of the singer. The liner notes also make a strong case for Guédron as the most important direct predecessor of Lully.

The program also contains lute works by Nicolas Vallet (1575-c.1642), Elias Mertel (c.1560-1626), Robert Ballard (1575-c.1648), and Antoine Francisque (1570-1605) which would have appeared in similar contexts.

Other programs by this duo:

J'ay pris amours
Crecquillon / Attaignant / Sermisy
Claudine Ansermet / Paolo Cherici
Symphonia 98162
Le Jeune: Airs et Psaumes mesurés à l'Antique
Claudine Ansermet / Paolo Cherici
Symphonia 99174

Another recording devoted to Guédron:

Guédron: Le Consert des Consorts
Le Poème Harmonique - Vincent Dumestre
Alpha 019

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Todd M. McComb