MESSE SUPER FLUMINA BABYLONIS FRANÇOIS COSSET LES BORÉADES Hervé Niquet direction et orgue positif Francis Colpron - flûte à bec et flûte traversière baroque Hélèn Plouffe - violon baroque Susie Naper - viole de gambe Danièle Forget - soprano Devon Wastle - soprano Dominique Coustineau - soprano Dorothéa Ventura soprano Éthel Guéret soprano Teresa van der Hoeven soprano ACD2 2285 A SERVICE WITH THE VISITATION NUNS OF PARIS Undoubtedly to tend the wounds of all sorts caused by decades of religious strife — and substituting mortal combat for models of piety as well as for battles of wit and literary bouts — strong currents of a profound fervour, even of a certain mysticism, ran through 17th century France, and its acts of devotion showed the signs of an intense spiritual renewal.   Proposed by the Council of Trent and launched by the writings of Pierre de Berulle, future cardinal, this renewal witnessed the birth of a vast devout community, both lay and religious, along with the blossoming of many vocations.   One needs only mention the likes of Madame Acarie, great mystic and friend to Berulle and Francois de Sales — who had “infinite respect” for her — and at whose abode were translated the works of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross; or Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, a Visitation nun who, after having had visions of Jesus, proposed a special veneration of the Sacred Heart.   However, Christian perfection, which aims through various exercises at self-abnegation, must not be experienced only in ecstasy or manifestations of penitence.   It must also in God's love permeate the mundane and merge with the virtues of gentleness, cordiality, friendship and peace.   It was a question of showing, as Aldous Huxley put it, “how everyday, active life could be made to subserve contemplation, and how the spirit of contemplation could be made to animate and transform active life.” … © François Filiatrault, 2001 Translation: Jacques-Andre Houle UN OFFICE CHEZ LES VISITANDINES VERS 1695   1. Introït     2:18       Guillaume Gabriel Nivers (1632-1714)       Motet Rubum queviderat à une voix et basse continue [tous à l'unisson]       (Motets a voix seule..., 1689)   2. Kyrie     4:12       François Cosset (v.1610-ap.1664)       Messe Super flumina Babylonis à 6 voix [voix de dessus et instruments]       (Missa sex vocum super flumina Babylonis, 1673)   3. Cantique     5:19       Étienne Moulinié (1599-1676)       Cantique Espoir de toute âme affligée à trois voix et basse continue [aux instruments]       (Mélanges de sujets chrétiens de 2 à 5 parties..., 1658)   4. Gloria     6:29       François Cosset       Messe Super flumina Babylonis à 6 voix   5. Graduel     4:02       Pierre Bouteiller (v.1655-ap.1717)       Kyrie de la Missa pro Defunctis à 5 voix et basse continue [aux instruments]       (manus., s.d.)   6. Credo     9:08       François Cosset       Messe Super flumina Babylonis à 6 voix   7. Offertoire     5:35       Nicolas Clérambault (1676-1749)       Simphonia Va [Chaconne] en ré majeur pour violon [et flûte] et basse continue C.55       (manus., s.d.)   8. Sanctus     3:45       François Cosset       Messe Super flumina Babylonis à 6 voix   9. Élévation     5:54       Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)       Motet O dulcissime Domine pour 3 sopranos et basse continue LWV 71/9       [en chapelle] (manus., s.d.) 10. Agnus Dei     2:58       François Cosset       Messe Super flumina Babylonis à 6 voix 11. Communion     7:59       Jean-Baptiste Lully       Motet Laudate pueri pour 3 sopranos et basse continue LWV 71/7       [en chapelle] (manus., s.d.) 12. Ite missa est     0:43       Plain-chant 13. Jean-François Lalouette (1651-1728)     2:26       Motet pour le Roy Domine, Domine à une voix et basse continue [tous à l'unisson]       (Motets à 1, 2 et 3 voix..., livre premier, 1726) 14. Anonyme (XIe siècle)     3:33       Conduit Beata viserere mea ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879