Luogo e data di registrazione		Cathédrale Saint-Gatien, Tours (Francia)
	Registrazione: live / studio		studio
	Producer / Engineer		-
	Edizione LP		Erato - STU 70 335 - (1 lp) - durata 48' 23" - (p) 196? - Analogico
	Note		Notes and timings from Musical Heritage Society (MHS 1035)

Depuis le premier édifice, fondé en 338 par saint Lidoire évéque de Tours. Jusqu'aux dernier amenagements de l'actuelle cathédrale, douze siècle ont passé. Quatre sanctuaires ont été construits successivement, sur les fondations romaines de l'ancienne Cesarodunum, chaque fois que ruines, incendies ou pillages obligérent à rebàtir. La construction du monument important offert aujourd'hui à l'admiration des visiteurs, commença au debut du XIII siècle, grâce à la générosité de Blanche de Castille et de saint Louis, pour se terminer à la Renaissance avec l'achévement des tours de la façade. Qu'un aussi vaste ouvrage, repris maintes fois par tante de maitres d'oeuvres utilisand des techniques et des styles si divers, ait pu aboutir à un ensemble aussi harmonieux, ne peut manquer de surprendre. Dés l'entrée, on est frappé par lélegance de la nef que semble étroite par rapport à la hauteur des volutes (39 m) et la longuer du vaisseau (100 m). Mais le joyau est incontestablement le choeur du XIII siècle, l'une des plus belles réusaltes de l'architecture au temps de saint louis. Le dessin en est si remarquable qu'on le compare à La Sainte Chapelle. Quinze grandes verrières garnissent les fenètres hautes et sont parmi les plus pures merveilles de l'art du vitrail, avec des rouges vigoureux et des bleus profonds. Merveilles aussim dans des coloris plus claire, les deux roses en vie-à.vie dans le transept "flamboyant" ainsi que la "Galerie des rois" dans la partie septentrionale. L'ensemble baigne dans une liniére douce, une atmosphère de recueillement comme si au long des siècle, la piété d'innombrables artistes, de tout un peuple d'ouvriers et de millions de fidéles à la suite de Saint Lidoire de Saint Gregoire de Tours et de saint Martin, ordonné dans ces murs, avaient, par une lente thésaurisation, déposé dans la pierre l'empreinte de leur foi. Quittant la Cathèdrale pour suivre les bords de Loire on volt le magnifique chevet hérissé de contreforts et, longtemp encore, les blanches coupoles des tours, parmi les frondaisons et les "coteaux courbes" chers à Peguy, où "les châteaux sont sernés comme des reposoirs". R. Froger To discover the similarities between music and the architecture sheltering it; to awaken under the vaults of the Saint-Gatien Cathedral of Tours the echo of the music which had once resounded there, in distant of recent past, such is the aim of this recording. From the erection of the first church, founded in 338 by st. Lidoire, Bishop of Tours, until the final completion of the present Cathedral, twelve centuries elapsed. Four sanctuaries were built successively upon the Roman foundations of the former Cesarodurum, each time that destruction, fire or pillaging necessitated it. Construction on the imposing monument admired today by visitors started at the beginning of the thirteenth century and ended in the Renaissance with the completion of the towers on the facade. That such a vast undertaking, resumed so often by a variety of master builders using such diverse techniques and styles, has resulted in such a harmonious whole, never fails to astonish. Upon entering, one is struck by the elegance of the nave which seems narrow in comparison with the height of the vaults (approximately 128 ft.) and the lenght of the nave (approximately 328 ft.). But the jewel is incontestably the thirteenth-century choir, one of the most beatiful architectural achievements in the time of St. Louis. Its design is so remarkable that it can be compared to the Sainte Chapelle. Stained glass embellishes the fifteen high windows which are among the purest marvels of the art, with strong reds and deep blues. Also extraordinary in their lighter coloration are the two rose windows facing each other in the flamboyant transept, as well as the Gallery of the Kings in the northern part. The whole interior is bathed in a soft light, an atmosphere of repose, as if down the centuries the piety of innumerable artists, workers, and millions of faithful in succession to St. Lidoire, St. Gregory of Tours, and St. Martin, all ordnained within these walls, had by a slow accumulation, left the imprint of their faith in the stones. Leaving the cathedral to follow the banks of the Loire, one ses the magnificent structure bristling with buttresses and for a long time the white cupolas of the towers among the foliage and the rolling hills so dear to Peguy, where "the chateaux are scattered like processional altars." Treasurer of the Abbey of St. Martin (an honorary title bestowed upon the composer in recognition of his talent), JOHANNES OCKEGHEM came to France from the Netherlands, as did a majority of the composers of the fifteenth century. Like them, he also traveled; but he lived in France for more than forty years, in the highest position a chapel master could then occupy: the direction of the Royal chapel. Employed successively in the service of Charles VII, Louis XI and Charles VIII, be followed his masters in their travels, notably to the chateau of Plessis-les-Tours, Louis XI favorite residence. There is little doubt that his works were performed by the choir of the neighboring Cathedral. Very famous in his time, Ockeghem created a style; more than that, he helped to free music from the bold of dry pedantry which threatened to suffocate it. He also influenced others, and young composers, such as Josquin des Prés, learned from this master the art of writing counterpoint in fluid and melodieus linea. GUILLAUME BOUZIGNAC, on the other hand, came from Narbonne to spend some time at Tours (or at the Abbey of Marmoutiers?) around 1640. As evidence of his visit he has only one music manuscript, valuable since it contains the only copy of most of his works (only one other manuscript in Paris also preserves several of his compositions). This very rare collection, kept for a long time at St. Martin, rests today in the Library of the City of Tours. Thus there is a strong possibility that Bouzignac's Masses and motets had resounded under the vaults of the Cathedral. With this southerner a refreshing breeze of Italianism blew into Touraine, and the dramatic effects which he employed must have sounded strange in Richelieu's time when French religious music suffered a crisis of austerity following the religious wars. The Italian influence appears clearly in the three Bouzignac motets recorded here. The texts are excerpts from the Scriptures occasionally interspersed with commentaries in the neo-pagan style of the Renaissance (for example, Ubi est Pan noster? to designate the infante Jesus in Noé, Noé). For each of these sections of text, Bouzignac provides an appropriate musical setting; and in the course of a single piece, one passes from the brisk liveliness of the madrigal (Noé, Noé) to an austere contrapul style (Dum silentium; second part of Noé, Noé), then to that of a dramatic dialogue (Ecce homo! and Ha! plange..., motets for Passiontide) with the appearance, new in France, of a solo in dialogue with one or even two choruses. These anticipate the characteristics of the future Oratorio. The anonymous motet for two choirs, Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, Ecclesia Turonensis (which might well be Bouzignac's) could possibly have been sung during the sumptuous ceremonies which took place in Tours from July 19 to 22, 1641, upon the occasion of a great local event: a relic of St. Martin, his radius, offered by the monks of the Abbey of Cluny to their brothers in Marmoutiers, was transferred with great solemnity; unheard-of pomp was displayed, processions, naves hung with tapestries, musical salutes, multiple choirs, organs, all in the midst of a considerable and select aufience. The Paris manuscript previously referred to contains a half dozen motets dedicated to saints venerated in the Church of Tours; one of these makes direct reference to the precious relie of St. Martin. The motet Gloriosa... forms part of this group of works for Tours, evidently composed for this occasion. It is therefore very likely that it was sung at the cathedral or, if not, at Marmoutiers. The glory of the Church of Tours is here proclaimed by two antiphonal cjoirs singing a triumphant litany. It is also very likely that the organist of a local convent (perhaps the Abbey of Saint-Maur) whose organ compositions are preserved in MS 172 of the Library of Tours had occasion in exercise his talent upon the Cathedral organ around 1730. As for FRANCIS POULENC, it was upon the organ in the choir that he himself came to try his score of the Litanies, the ink hardly dry. Shortly after, the Maitrise gave its first performance. The "Jean de Ockeghem" Choir, several weeks before Poulenc's sudden death, prepared this performance under the composer's direction. Side One of the record deliberateky brings together two composers widely separated in time and yet secretly related: Ockeghem and Poulenc. A master od counterpoint, OCKEGHEM was contemplative as well. The Mass Cuiusviv toni is written without clefs. Upon performance, the choice of clef determines the disposition of the intervals in such a way that, by modifying the position of the clef upon the staff, this Mass can be sung in "any desired mode," that is to say, in one or another of the four plain-chant modes. across the span of four centuries, FRANCIS POULENC extends his hand to Johannes Ockeghem to make himself the continuator of the polyphonists of the Golden Age. The Litanies à la Vierge Noir is Poulenc's first great religious work, the most touching of all in its simplicity. It is the humble prayer of the women of the village of Rocamadour, shorn of all ostentation, the vibrant expression of a naive and confident faith. Side Two draws on more extroverted works. The Bourignac motets are worthly tonal counterparis of the large multi-colored rose window occupying the entire end of the North transept; while the short organ pieces interspersed with choral works reveal a decorative and charming type of music, corresponding happily to the fine carving of the Renaissance case suspended from the triforium above like a wooden grille hung upon a grillwork of stone. The present organ regrettably lacks the sparkle of the eighteen ranks of mixtures it once possessed. At least, all that remains of the old works has been utilized as far as possible. Knowing that all the compositions in this program arte of local origin, that the recording utilizes only the tonal resources of the Cathedral of Tours, that both choristers and instrumentalists are natives of the city, perhaps the listener will be grateful to us for our care, sincerity and honesty. R. FROGER, PIERRE FROGER and DENISE LAUNAY (Translated from the French by Helen Baker)