Campra: Motets For Notre Dame

Aquilon, conducted by Sebastien Mahieux

André Campra (1660-1744): Motets for Notre-Dame de Paris

André Campra began to compose his serie of petits motets as soon s he arrived in Paris as maitre de chapelle of Notre-Dame Cathedral. These works soon enjoyed great success, and people flocked to Notre-Dame to hear them. Campra’s motets are strongly influenced by Italian music in their harmonic refinements, charming accompaniments, and brilliant and contrasted style. They also betray a man of the theatre; the sacred text is genuinely dramatised. Campra takes skilful advantage of the restricted forces of the petit motet: airs, recits, duets, trios and ritornellos follow one another as at the opera! But his eloquence is not devoid of profundity, and his grace can still touch us today.