Les Arts Florissants and the French grand motet: a love affair that is far from over! While the ensemble has contributed greatly to its rediscovery, this repertoire also brought it recognition from the moment it was founded in 1979.
As its name suggests, the grand motet is an extension or expansion of the motet, or petit motet, which is closer to the cantata. Far more lavish, the grand motet calls for a double choir or a large choir. It is an exclusively French genre, though it owes its emergence to an Italian, Lully. After him, Delalande, Charpentier, Campra and Mondonville brought the genre to its greatest heights. Today, however, it is also inseparable from Les Arts Florissants: it would be impossible to list here all the masterpieces they have introduced to their audiences. In nearly every season of their 46-year history, William Christie and his musicians have unearthed another gem from this repertoire. Performers Les Arts Florissants William Christie, conductor Soloists of Les Arts Florissants Emmanuel Resche-Caserta, violin 1, assistant music director
Source: paris.fr — photo: Les Arts Florissants © Vincent Pontet