Lorenzani: Motets /le Concert Spirituel · Niquet

Description

Paolo Lorenzani (1640-1713): Sacred VocalMusic Paolo Lorenzani was born in Rome and as a boy was a chorister in theCappella Giulia. He began his professional career by composing four oratoriosfor the Arciconfraternit?á del Santissimo Crocefisso di S Marcello and was laterappointed maestro di coppella atthe famous Chiesa del Gesu and the Collegio Romano. In 1678 he left Rome totake up a similar position at the cathedral in Messina, where he attracted theattention of the Duc de Vivonne, marshal of France, who was there to supportthe Sicilians in their struggle against Spanish domination. Failing in histask, Vivonne withdrew his troops and returned to France, taking the musicianwith him. Lorenzani was presented to Louis XIV and very quickly won the favourof the King, who helped him to the position surintendantof the Queen's Music to Queen Marie-Therese. Here he was among thegreatest musicians of the time: Boesset, whom he replaced, with the Queen, butalso Du Mont (sous-maitre of theChapel Royal, Nivers, who shared the position in the Queen's chapel with him inalternation) Lully, Robert, Charpentier, Desmaret and others.Lorenzani spent sixteen years in France, actively participating in themusical life of the court. From1679 the King gave him the task of recruiting castrati from Italy for hischapel. Returning to France in 1681, he took part in the court entertainmentsat Fontainebleau, writing an Italian pastoral Nicandroe Fileno, with a libretto by the Duc de Nevers, nephew of CardinalMazarin. In 1682 he shared with Lalande the composition of a Serenade en forme d'opera. Later still heprovided a tragedy in music, Orontee, commissionedfor the celebrations at Chantilly by the Condes. In 1683 he entered thecompetition (along with the most important ma?«tresde chapelle of the kingdom) to recruit sous-ma?«tres for the Chapel Royal. Although he wasunsuccessful, he was, nevertheless, among the fifteen finalists chosen by theKing. In July 1683 the death of Queen Marie- Therese forced him to leave thecourt. He then moved to the Theatines, an Italian religious order establishedin Paris in 1644. In their church of Sainte- Anne-la-Royale the Theatinefathers organized prayers and ceremonies similar to those practised in theoratories of Rome. Paris and the Court flocked to these occasions which enjoyeda very high reputation, with Lorenzani's music achieving great success.In this way Lorenzani won fame both at court and in the town, but wasprobably disappointed not to have succeeded in obtaining more importantpositions than those he had. At this time Lully held a monopoly over Frenchmusic at court, imposing taste and rules, and showing no favour to Italianmusic. He had, in fact, unsuccessfully tried to prevent the performance atFontainebleau of Lorenzani's pastoral Nicandroe Fileno. Italian music was, in consequence, performed under limitedcircumstances, in Saint-Andre-des-Arts, Sainte-Anne-la-Royale and perhaps evenin the apartments of Queen Marie-Ther?¿se. Since h