Henry Desmarest (1661-1741)

1-12 DOMINUS REGNAVIT

I - II- III - IV - V - VI - VII - VIII - IX - X - XI - XII

13-26 TE DEUM DE PARIS

Te Deum Laudamus – Te Dominum Confitemur – Te Gloriosus – Te Per Orbem – Tu Rex Gloriae – Tu Ad Liberandum – Tu De Victo Mortis – Te Ergo Quae Sumus – Aeterna Fac – Salvum Fac Populum Tuum – Dignare Domine – Miserere Nostri – Fiat Misericordia Tua – In Te Domine Speravi

The “Grandes Journées Desmarest” held at the Centre for Baroque Music of Versailles in 1999 have revealed the tremendous talent of a composer that, having overcome the fact that he belonged to a generation caught between the monumental figures that were Lully and Rameau, went on to create an exceptional œuvre.

On February 3rd, 1687 Desmarest’s Te Deum was interpreted in the Oratoire of the Louvre in observance of the king’s convalescence. The masterpiece created for the occasion by the 26-year-old composer received the praise of
all the gazettes, the elite and that of the king himself.

Both motets by Desmarest included on this CD, the Te Deum and the Dominus Regnavit, together constitute one of the culminations of the French Grand Motet. There are very few occasions on which such complex motets can be performed. However, this complexity somehow produces a natural flow full of sensuousness and vitality. Vocal possibilities are pushed to the limit and the power of the choruses (at times triple) is absolutely awe-inspiring.

Desmarest is, without the shadow of a doubt, one of the great geniuses of French music.