Although Lully never held a position at the Chapelle du roi, his influence on the development of the grand motet, so emblematic of the Grand Siècle, was decisive. He composed motets full of pomp and circumstance for the great ceremonies of the court, praising the glory of God and that of the king. Of the many royal funerals, that of Queen Marie-Thérèse in 1683 was among the most grandiose. Lully’s Dies irae and De profundis were performed on this occasion. But his most famous motet is undoubtedly the Te Deum, which resounded for the first time in 1677 and became the king’s favourite. In 1687, Lully directed it yet again, but he violently struck his foot with the heavy cane he used to beat time. The wound became infected, and he died on 22 March. A tragic fate for the man who knew how to convey the most brilliant glory but also all the anguish of death with the same grandeur*... A theatrical grandeur that characterises this version recorded at the Chapelle royale of the Palace of Versailles. Lully is in the spotlight in 2019, on the occasion of the 350th anniversary of the Académie Royale de Musique, of which he was director from 1672 until his death.
*according to Thomas Leconte, Centre de musique baroque de Versailles, co-producer of the project.

Choeur de chambre de Namur
Millenium Orchestra
Leonardo García Alarcón (dir.)

Total duration: 01:22:50