Jean Felix

« J'ai plusieurs enregistrements entre moi et un policier très haut placé. C'est le pire, pire, pire policier qui a travaillé contre nous autres, les Hells Angels. Mais j'ai reçu un paquet d'informations grâce à ce policier-là. Vous croyez avoir tout vu ? Attendez… »

Jean-François Dandrieu, though largely forgotten today, was regarded as one of the finest composers of harpsichord music of his time, generally ranked just below Couperin and Rameau. He also produced much worthy chamber music, but only one rather insignificant piece for orchestra. If ever a composer's output were worthy of greater attention – indeed, of a full-scale revival – it is that of Dandrieu. Though his date of birth is not known, documentary evidence places it between September 11, 1681, and January 17, 1682. He came from a well-to-do family and showed rare musical talent in his early childhood. Before the age of 5, he gave a harpsichord concert for Princess Palatine Elisabeth-Charlotte of Bavaria and other royalty. His first teacher was composer and keyboard player Jean-Baptiste Moreau.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) - Piano Concertos 1 & 2
Jean-Yves Thibaudet / Gewandhausorchester Leipzig / Herbert Blomstedt
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 191 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Decca # 468 600-2 | Country/Year: Europe 2001
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic

…In short, a release that does all of its participants proud (including the recording team, of course). Bravo, Jean-Yves!

Les chirurgiens d'aujourd'hui oublient souvent qu'ils n'existent que grâce au cul du Roi Soleil, quand à bout d'artifices, les médecins en robe longue ne peuvent qu'appeler en consultation un dénommé Félix, barbier de son état, pour qu'il tente de guérir le Roi de sa fistule anale. Car après bien des péripéties, Félix parvient à obtenir la guérison du postérieur royal…

The cantate francaise flourished during the first half of the eighteenth century. Morin and Bernier were among the most interesting early exponents of it, Campra, Monteclair, Clerambault and Rameau among the most impressive. Indeed, it is generally recognized that the cantate francaise reached its zenith in the hands of Clerambault. He is represented on this new disc by Le Soleil, vainqueur des nuages. It appeared in none of the composer’s five published collections of chamber cantatas but was issued separately in 1721