Leçons de Ténèbres

Leçons de Ténèbres
François Couperin

Pièces de viole   Marin Marais 
Pièces de clavecin   Jean-Henry D’Anglebert

Rowena Simpson   soprano
Barbara Graham   soprano
Polly Sussex   viol
Martin Ryman   chamber organ / harpsichord

"A concert for the Easter season, this different and interesting presentation concentrated on music of the Catholic liturgy by François Couperin and other composers of the French Baroque."

"Soprano Rowena Simpson with her training in baroque performance practice was vocally ideal, her voice clear and pure with excellent enunciation of the ecclesiastical French Latin pronunciation. Her clean “white” voice, ethereal, but still with expression and nuance, was lovely to hear."

"Singing the vocal line for the second verse was operatic-trained soprano Barbara Graham who brought a different character with more vibrato, ... but the effect was still exquisite."

"Clearly there had been meticulous scholarship and preparation for the concert."

"With the lighting dimming and progressing to candlelight the atmosphere and mood of the concert was pensive, understandably sombre, ... but it was an impressive and adventurous undertaking."