Baroque programs devoted to Louis XIV’s richly inspired musical circle at Versailles have been plentiful over the years, but few are as distinctive as this one. According to the notes, this is the first time a collection of Baroque music has been assembled and performed as a soundtrack for a video game (“Versailles II–The Testament”, the sequel to the highly successful “Versailles–Intrigue at the Court of Louis XIV”). As musical director for Alain Corneau’s acclaimed film Tous les Matins du Monde, Jordi Savall broke similar ground nearly 15 years ago and produced a soundtrack that justifiably went on to become one of the most highly successful Baroque compilations to date (type Q4828 in review search). Both that program and this one, assembled by Capriccio Stravagante’s director and harpsichord player Skip Sempé, are brilliantly conceived, loaded with surprises, expertly performed, and beautifully presented.
As it turns out, Sempé also offers two versions of one of Savall’s soundtrack highlights, Lully’s Marche pour la ceremonie des Turcs, and listeners familiar with Savall’s grandiose orchestration will delight in Sempé’s equally compelling and arguably more insightful arrangements. The first is a brief chamber version that begins inordinately slowly, with strings capriciously twisting about Lully’s theme before accelerating into an abruptly dramatic finale. Sempé’s second version is similar to Savall’s in that he employs larger forces, although here he faithfully restores the impetus of Lully’s Turkish inspiration, treating the “Marche” more like a folk dance whose sprightly tempos feature prominent tambourine and percussion.
Other highlights include Sempé and bass violist Jay Bernfeld’s profoundly dark rendering of Marin Marais’ Les Voix Humaines. Sempé also teams with fellow harpsichordist Olivier Fortin in a delightful performance of Chambonnieres’ ravishing Paschalia, which serves as an inspired introduction to mezzo-soprano Guillemette Laurens’ sublime aria “Mes yeux…” from Campra’s opera-ballet L’Europe Galante. Alpha’s well-balanced sound convincingly captures the proceedings, even exceeding the label’s usual high standards. In all, this is a resounding triumph for Sempé and his colleagues, and very highly recommended!
