Grands Motets - Rameau, Mondonville

As the undisputed authority on the French grand motet, William Christie juxtaposes two complementary visions of this repertoire: Rameau's erudite and meticulously structured approach, and Mondonville's flamboyant and spectacular style.

The grand motets of Jean-Philippe Rameau and Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville occupy a central place in the history of 18th-century French sacred music. Intended for the Royal Chapel and the kingdom’s major religious institutions, these monumental works embody the unique blend of splendor, spirituality, the sublime, and the theatricality characteristic of the French tradition. In Rameau’s work, the grand motet reveals a compositional style of exceptional audacity, where mastery of harmony, orchestral richness, and vocal expressiveness already foreshadow the dramatic genius of the opera composer. Mondonville, for his part, elevates the genre to an unprecedented level of virtuosity and expressive tension, infusing sacred music with an energy and luminosity that deeply captivated his contemporaries.

Through these two contrasting yet complementary visions, William Christie and Les Arts Florissants invite you in this concert to experience the full excellence and uniqueness of a musical heritage at its peak.