Meyer, Les Traversees Baroques - Mielczewski: Virgo Prudentissima (2011)

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Meyer, Les Traversees Baroques - Mielczewski: Virgo Prudentissima (2011)

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The new French period instrument ensemble Les Traversées Baroques has a name that evokes voyages and discoveries. Led here by conductor Etienne Meyer, the group presents a selection of the music of Marcin Mielczewski, a 17th-century Polish composer whose scores have lain neglected in the archives of central Europe. His music, at once sensuous and sparkling (and often reminiscent of Monteverdi) rewards exploration. Although Mielczewski was one of the prominent musical figures of Poland in the first half of the 17th century, we know very little about him. His contemporaries considered him a first-rate composer and his output was both broad and extensive, but only two of his works were printed. A curious fact is that one of his works contains the first instance of a mazurka in art music.

Composer: Marcin Mielczewski, Giovanni Gabrieli, Tarquinio Merula, Francesco Usper, …
Conductor: Etienne Meyer
Orchestra/Ensemble: Les Traversées Baroques

Reviews: The early baroque Venetian style, pioneered by Monteverdi and termed by him 'seconda prattica', rapidly evolved in the hands of the great pioneer himself and in those of Cavalli, Carissimi and others. Its influence upon the development of European music, including Austria, Germany and Poland, was spectacular, and one of its finest practitioners - as we learn from the extremely interesting and well-written booklet notes for this recording - was the Polish composer Marcin Mielczewski (c. 1600-1651).

This CD is a superbly eloquent and convincing demonstration of the talents of this hitherto little-known but brilliant musician. It consists mainly of polychoral, solo or concerted motets in the seconda prattica manner, with independent instrumental parts, by Mielczewski himself, as well as one from his compatriot Bartlomiej Pêkiel, two by their Italian contemporary Tarquinio Merula, and two instrumental pieces from Giovanni Gabrieli and Francesco Usper. This may seem like a bit of an odd mixture, but in fact the work of Italian and Polish composers here is entirely congruent in style and there is no impression of inconsistency whatsoever.

The first item, 'Plaudite manibus', is a celebratory motet from Mielczewski in a style that will be familiar to admirers of Monteverdi and Cavalli, with lovely episodes for concerted solo voices, and it makes for a splendidly joyful, full-textured opening to the programme. It's followed by a Canzon primi toni (track 2) by Gabrieli that will already be known to many baroque enthusiasts; this is beautifully played here by two antiphonal instrumental choirs. The next item, Mielczewski's 'Confitebor tibi Domine' (3), is characterised by rapid, agile passagework for both voices and instruments which brings us some lovely singing, especially from a clear-voiced soprano whom I assume from the notes to be Cécile Van Wetter, as well as some equally fine instrumental work, with the ringing tones of two cornetti (co-director Judith Pacquier and Richard Šeda) especially distinctive. This is a good point at which to mention that this Les Traversées Baroques ensemble, directed by Étienne Meyer and Judith Pacquier, are an extremely talented, spirited and adventurous group whose singing and playing throughout the programme are quite outstanding. They are based in Burgundy but comprise an impressively cosmopolitan range of French, Polish and Czech musicians.

There are plenty more delights to follow, including Merula's virtuoso motet 'Credidi' (5) for solo bass, very finely sung here by Renaud Delaigue, in a catchy rhythm and with, again, some lovely cornetto as well as string and other instrumental playing. Francesco Usper's majestic instrumental Canzon is a richly sonorous piece - which also turned up on another recent CD, Vespri solenni per la festa di San Marco [CD + DVD], there titled 'Sonata' - and it's superbly rendered on the present disc. The following Merula work, 'Laudate pueri Dominum' (7), brings us lovely consort singing from the two sopranos (Cécile Van Wetter and Clara Coutouly) and bass Renaud Delaigue. Mielczewski's 'Nisi dominus' (9) has a highly expressive, ecstatic quality which is beautifully reflected by the performers - a lovely, graceful work with a rich instrumental accompaniment. Pêkiel's 'Dulcis amor Jesu' (10) brings a more contemplative, less ostentatious mood which offers a beautifully rapt contrast to the colourful displays we have heard until now.

The programme then culminates in two stunning works from Mielczewski - of which the first, 'Virgo prudentissima', understandably gives the disc its title. This beautiful, vocal-instrumental concerto movement starts wth a most lovely instrumental introduction and then develops, punctuated by further instrumental interludes, increasingly in the style of the incomparable 'Sonata sopra Sancta Maria' from Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers, from which it even takes some parodied phrases. This piece simply cries out to be heard again and again, but it's then followed by a highly original setting of the Magnificat with solo, concerted and choral passages full of virtuosity and invention; it's a work of spirit, drama and contrast and it forms a magnificent conclusion to this absolutely splendid programme.

This, then, is a superb, unusual and in many ways astonishing collection of music, packed full of lovely things and brilliantly performed by an ensemble with both talent and style, who give it their all. Étienne Meyer 's Les Traversées Baroques are a terrific ensemble and I hope we are going to hear plenty more from them. Just one complaint, however - while presentation is visually elegant and notes are excellent, there are no texts of the vocal works, let alone translations. Nor is there any mention of these being available online, either in the booklet or on the label's website. Normally this would deprive it of at least one star in my book, but in view of the disc's stunning musical achievement, and with the closing chords of 'Virgo prudentissima' still ringing in my ears, I'm going to make an exception here and give it a richly deserved five stars. But only on the strict understanding that it doesn't happen again.