Trace Moroney

L'influence de Francois Couperin sur ses contemporains et ses successeurs de l'école francaise de clavecin voire même à travers l'europe, tel est le programme éminement didactique de Davitt Moroney dans son pur style des années 1990, celui des émissions qu'il animait sur France Musiques.

The third in a series of four releases in the Complete Keyboard Works of François Couperin, this three-CD set includes Couperin's third book of harpsichord pieces. Featuring internationally acclaimed harpsichordist Davitt Moroney, this recording showcases two historically important instruments: the 1627 Ioannes Ruckers harpsichord and the 1768 Joannes Goermans harpsichord.

The introductory Ricercar and the first group of Canons are presented clearly but not pedantically on one or two harpsichords, and the sensitively played Trio Sonata follows, given added color by using flute, violin and continuo. The Canon perpetua is then heard on the same combination and, for all the remaining Canons except one, Moroney returns to his harpsichord(s). Good recording, truthfully transferred.

Biber's 15 Mystery Sonatas with their additional Passacaglia for unaccompanied violin were written in about 1678 and dedicated to his employer, the Archbishop of Salzburg. Each Sonata is inspired by a section of the Rosary devotion of the Catholic Church which offered a system of meditation on 15 Mysteries from the lives of Jesus and the Virgin Mary. The music isn't, strictly speaking, programmatic, though often vividly illustrative of events which took place in the life of Christ.

This is one of the monuments of recorded music, a magnificent undertaking. Everything Moroney touches comes up sparkling; it is perfect in every detail: musical, academic, technical, you name it.
This disc received the 2000 Gramophone magazine award for "Best Early Music Recording."