Search - Luc Coadou, Louis-Nicolas Clerambault :: Clérambault ~ Cantatas - La Mort d'Hercule · Poliphème & Simphonias / Luc Coadou · Les Solistes du Concert Spirituel

Very enjoyable

scott | Calgary, Canada | 01/05/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Clerambault is probably best known for his cantatas, two of which are featured on this cd. La Mort d'Hercule and Polipheme are relatively well recorded, and these versions are among the best. Luc Coadou has a distintive voice, and imbues these works with a lot of character. His is a strong bass voice, but he has a flexibility that copes very well with some of the faster arias.



The other items on this recording are less well-known, but are very welcome. There are five sonatas (published as "simphonia")that prove Clerambault to be an exceptional composer of chamber music too. I particularly like the first sonata on the disc, La Magnifique (simphonia VII) for violin, flute and continuo, and simphonia V which is in one movement comprised of a lovely Chaconne.



This disc shows off two aspects of Clerambault's ouvre, and both are presented in excellent performances. I strongly recommend this CD. There is a companion disc on Naxos with two cantatas for soprano (with Sandrine Piau) and a harpsichord suite and two sonatas which is also very good."