By the end of Louis XIV’s reign (and after the death of Jean-Baptiste Lully), Michel-Richard de Lalande (or Delalande) was the King’s favourite musician. He represents both the climax and the end of the grand motet: a style of French musical composition developed to showcase the royals’ piety and absolute power with a bit of pomp and grandeur. It was performed daily at the Royal Chapel in Versailles. Composed over a short period of time, the three Grand Motets presented in this recording date from the composer's early years at Versailles, between 1684 and 1690. De Lalande gifted the world 77 motets which he continued to perfect throughout his career.
The Dies Irae was quickly composed between the death and the funeral of the young dauphine of France, Maria Anna Christina of Bavaria (the sad and sickly mother of the future King Philip V of Spain). De Lalande later revised his work for use at other royal funerals. The great Miserere is one of the most imposing motets of the late 17th century; often performed before the king during the Easter period, it’s richly embellished and has great power of expression. The Veni Creator sets the Pentecost hymn to music (this hymn is played on Pentecost, as well as at New Year and Candlemas). This new recording was made in February 2021 in the beautiful concert hall within the Arsenal de Metz. Sébastien Daucé chose the version edited by Thomas Leconte which includes the restored intermediate parts of Dies Irae and Miserere, and a version of Veni Creator taken from the manuscript kept in the municipal library of Versailles. © François Hudry/Qobuz