Leçons de ténèbres ( 'lessons of darkness'; sometimes spelled Leçons des ténèbres) is a genre of French Baroque music which developed from the polyphonic

lamentations The Book of Lamentations ( he, אֵיכָה, , from its incipit meaning "how") is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. In the Hebrew Bible it appears in the Ketuvim ("Writings") as one of the Five Megillo ...

settings for the

tenebrae Tenebrae (—Latin for "darkness") is a religious service of Western Christianity held during the three days preceding Easter Day, and characterized by gradual extinguishing of candles, and by a "strepitus" or "loud noise" taking place in total ...

service of Renaissance composers such as Sermisy, Gesualdo, Brumel, Tallis, and

Tomás Luis de Victoria Tomás Luis de Victoria (sometimes Italianised as ''da Vittoria''; ) was the most famous Spanish composer of the Renaissance. He stands with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Orlande de Lassus as among the principal composers of the late Ren ...

into virtuoso solo chamber music.

Spelling

In the original French sources "''Leçons de ténèbres''" is more common; the spelling "''Leçons des ténèbres''" is increasingly common in later resources, but modern sources still use "''de''", as seen in Sébastien Gaudelus's ''Les offices de Ténèbres en France, 1650–1790''(2005). The capitalisation of "''ténèbres''" varies.

Liturgical function

The

service uses the text of the

Lamentations of Jeremiah The Book of Lamentations ( he, אֵיכָה, , from its incipit meaning "how") is a collection of poetic laments for the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BCE. In the Hebrew Bible it appears in the Ketuvim ("Writings") as one of the Five Megillot ...

, originally deploring the Siege of Jerusalem (587 BC) and subsequent desolation of the city, but applied allegorically to the three days of mourning for Christ between his crucifixion and resurrection. However the context of the French ''Leçons de ténèbres'' was often private performance. Delalande's 15-year-old daughter sang for Louis XIV first in his living rooms and then in chapel, becoming the praise of all Paris. Philidor's catalogue indicates that Delalande's three surviving virtuoso solo Leçons de ténèbres were composed for such occasions. A complete set of Leçons de ténèbres for the full three days of

Holy Week Holy Week ( la, Hebdomada Sancta or , ; grc, Ἁγία καὶ Μεγάλη Ἑβδομάς, translit=Hagia kai Megale Hebdomas, lit=Holy and Great Week) is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. In Eastern Churches, w ...

(Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday; played for practical reasons on the eve of each mentioned day, so: Holy Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday), would have included nine lessons, with each of these leçons requiring the setting of specific texts from Lamentations, although the conventions of exactly which texts to set varied slightly from the Renaissance to the Baroque, and by local custom. The following represents the typical French baroque schema set by

Marc-Antoine Charpentier Marc-Antoine Charpentier (; 1643 – 24 February 1704) was a French Baroque composer during the reign of Louis XIV. One of his most famous works is the main theme from the prelude of his ''Te Deum'', ''Marche en rondeau''. This theme is still us ...

, which follows the order of the Roman Breviary of St. Pius V as it was promulgated after the

Council of Trent The Council of Trent ( la, Concilium Tridentinum), held between 1545 and 1563 in Trent (or Trento), now in northern Italy, was the 19th ecumenical council of the Catholic Church. Prompted by the Protestant Reformation, it has been described a ...

in 1568. :Holy Wednesday * ''Première leçon pour le mercredi Saint'' – 1:1–5 * ''Deuxième leçon pour le mercredi Saint'' – 1:6–9 * ''Troisième leçon pour le mercredi Saint'' – 1:10–14 :Holy Thursday * ''Première leçon pour le jeudi Saint'' – 2:8–11 * ''Deuxième leçon pour le jeudi Saint'' – 2:12–15 * ''Troisième leçon pour le jeudi Saint'' – 3:1–9 :Good Friday * ''Première leçon pour le vendredi Saint'' – 3:22–30 * ''Deuxième leçon pour le vendredi Saint'' – 4:1–6 * ''Troisième leçon pour le vendredi Saint'' – 5:1–11 However, in practice composers rarely supplied a complete group of all 9 settings. A notable exception was Charpentier, who authored a complete set ''Les Neuf Leçons de ténèbres'' (H. 96–110) and duplicated all the settings several times over. In addition the services required antiphons and supplementary motets – 9 for each day, 27 in total. Charpentier again produced extensively in this genre, such as his ''Les neuf répons du mercredi saint'' (H. 111–119, 120–125, 135–137). As with the lessons the French répons are stylistically differentiated from the Renaissance

responsories for Holy Week Tenebrae responsories are the responsories sung following the lessons of Tenebrae, the Matins services of the last three days of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. Polyphonic settings to replace plainchant have been publis ...

of Victoria and Gesualdo.

Musical style

The characteristic style of the Leçons de ténèbres is defined by the trend to soloist virtuoso performance, for one or two vocalists with basso continuo, and introspective and melismatic music – specifically in the melismas on the Hebrew letters introducing each Latin verse. By way of contrast the larger scale choral and orchestral lamentations of provincial composer Jean Gilles stand outside the mainly Parisian genre, and more in line with the lamentations of Central European baroque composers such as Zelenka and Heinichen.

Composers

Of the settings by far the best known are the Leçons de ténèbres of Couperin, however Couperin's were not the first nor was he the most prolific composer in the genre: *

Claudin de Sermisy Claudin de Sermisy (c. 1490 – 13 October 1562) was a French composer of the Renaissance music, Renaissance.Isabelle Cazeaux, "Claudin d Sermisy", "The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians", ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol. (London, Macmillan ...

, * John Sheppard, ''Tenebrae Responsories.'' *

Thomas Tallis Thomas Tallis (23 November 1585; also Tallys or Talles) was an English composer of High Renaissance music. His compositions are primarily vocal, and he occupies a primary place in anthologies of English choral music. Tallis is considered one ...

, ''Lamentations of Jeremiah'' * *

– many complete settings, H.91, H.92, H.93, H.94, H.95, H.96, H.97, H.98, H.99 a, b, c, H.100, a, b, c, H.101, H.102, H.103, H.104, H.105, H.106, H.107, H.108, H.109, H.110, ''Répons'' (H.111 - H.119), H.120, H.121, H.122, H. 123, H.124, H.125, ''Répons'' (H.126 - 134), H.135, H.136, H.137, H.138, H.139, H.140, H.141, H.142, H.143, H.144 (1670 - 1695). *

Michel Lambert Michel Lambert (1610 – 29 June 1696) was a French singing master, theorbist and composer. Career Lambert was born at Champigny-sur-Veude, France. He received his musical education as an altar boy at the Chapel of Gaston d'Orléans, a brother of ...

(1689)°The Harvard biographical dictionary of music Don Michael Randel *

Michel Richard Delalande Michel Richard Delalande e Lalande'' (; 15 December 1657 – 18 June 1726) was a French Baroque composer and organist who was in the service of King Louis XIV. He was one of the most important composers of grands motets. He also wrote orch ...

before 1711 – one setting each for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday survive. * François Couperin 1714, 3 settings for Wednesday survive, the other 6 settings for Thursday and Friday are lost. * Sébastien de Brossard *

Jean-Féry Rebel Jean-Féry Rebel (18 April 1666 – 2 January 1747) was an innovative French Baroque composer and violinist. Biography Rebel, a child violin prodigy, was the most famous offspring of Jean Rebel, a tenor in Louis XIV's private chapel. He late ...

(lost) *

Louis-Nicolas Clérambault Louis-Nicolas Clérambault (19 December 1676 – 26 October 1749) was a French musician, best known as an organist and composer. He was born, and died, in Paris. Biography Clérambault came from a musical family (his father and two of his sons ...

C.183 - 188 (lost) * * Jean Gilles * Nicolas Bernier * Jean-Baptiste Gouffet * Joseph Michel * Charles-Henri de Blainville * Guillaume Bouzignac *Alexandre Villeneuve *Joseph Meunier d'Haudimont * Charles-Henri de Blainville *

Michel Corrette Michel Corrette (10 April 1707 – 21 January 1795) was a French composer, organist and author of musical method books. Life Corrette was born in Rouen, Normandy. His father, Gaspard Corrette, was an organist and composer. Little is known of ...

Later composers who in part followed the French chamber style in their settings of lamentations include: *

Joseph-Hector Fiocco Joseph-Hector Fiocco (20 January 1703 – 21 June 1741), born in Brussels, was a composer and harpsichordist of the late Baroque period. His father, the Italian composer Pietro Antonio Fiocco, and one of his older step-brother Jean-Joseph Fio ...

Franz Xaver Richter Franz (Czech: František) Xaver Richter, known as ''François Xavier Richter'' in France (December 1, 1709 – September 12, 1789) was an Austro-Moravian singer, violinist, composer, conductor and music theoretician who spent most of his life fir ...

Jan Dismas Zelenka Jan Dismas Zelenka (16 October 1679 – 23 December 1745), baptised Jan Lukáš Zelenka was a Czech composer and musician of the Baroque period. His music is admired for its harmonic inventiveness and mastery of counterpoint. Zelenka was rais ...

* Arnaud Dumond – Suite of nine nocturnes for solo guitar

Selected recordings

: **''Leçons de Ténèbres, Office du Mercredi Saint,'' H.117, H.120, H.138, H.131, H.126, H.141, H.173, ''Office du Jeudi Saint,'' H. 121, H.139, H.136, H.144, H.128, H. 528, H. 510, H. 521'', Office du Vendredi Saint,'' H.95, H.99, H.100, H.140, H.133, H.130. Il Seminario Musicale,

Gérard Lesne Gérard Lesne (; born 15 July 1956) is a French countertenor. He is also the founder and artistic director of the baroque music ensemble, Il Seminario Musicale. Life and career Gérard Lesne was born in Montmorency, Val-d'Oise. He was originall ...

. Virgin Classics 1995.

Diapason d'Or The Diapason d'Or (French for "Golden Tuning Fork") is a recommendation of outstanding (mostly) classical music recordings given by reviewers of '' Diapason'' magazine in France, broadly equivalent to "Editor's Choice", "Disc of the Month" in the ...

**''Leçons de Ténèbres, Office du Mercredi Saint,'' H.96, H.97, H.98, H.111, H.112, H.113, ''Office du Jeudi Saint,'' H.102, H.103, H.109''; Office du Vendredi Saint,'' H.105, H.106, H.110 -

Judith Nelson Judith Anne Nelson, née Manes (10 September 1939 – 28 May 2012) was an American soprano, noted for her performances of baroque music at the beginning of the "early music revival" of the 1970s and 1980s. Nelson was born in Evanston, Illino ...

, Anne Verkinderen (sopranos), René Jacobs, Concerto Vocale

René Jacobs René Jacobs (born 30 October 1946) is a Belgian musician. He came to fame as a countertenor, but later in his career he became known as a conductor of baroque and classical opera. Biography Countertenor Born in Ghent, Jacobs began his music ...

, dir. Harmonia Mundi 1979 Diapason d'or **''Leçons de Ténèbres,'' H.96, H.97, H.98/108, H.102, H.103, H.106, H.105, H.109, H.110, H.100 a - Anne Marie Rodde, Sonia Nigoghossian,

Helen Watts Helen Watts (7 December 19277 October 2009) was a Welsh contralto. Early life Helen Josephine Watts was born in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Her father was a pharmacist, Tom Watts and moved to live above his shop at 26 Market Street, Ha ...

, Clara Virz, La Grande Écurie et La Chambre du Roy, dir Jean Claude Malgoire. CBS 1978 **''Leçons de Ténèbres,'' H.120, H.121, H.122, H.123, H.124, H.125, H.135, H.136, H.137; Howard Crook, Luc de Meulenaere, haute-contres; Jan Caals, Harry Ruyl, ténors; Michel Verschaeve, basse taille; Kurt Widmer, basse; Musica Polyphonica, dir Louis Devos. Erato 1984. * François Couperin : **''Couperin : Leçons de tenèbres'',

Alfred Deller Alfred George Deller, CBE (31 May 1912 – 16 July 1979), was an English singer and one of the main figures in popularising the return of the countertenor voice in Renaissance and Baroque music during the 20th century. He is sometimes referr ...

, Philip Todd, Raphaël Perulli, Michel Chapuis,

Harmonia Mundi Harmonia Mundi is an independent record label which specializes in classical music, jazz, and world music (on the World Village label). It was founded in France in 1958 and is now a subsidiary of PIAS Entertainment Group. Its Latin name ''harm ...

1970. **''Office des Ténèbres de la Semaine Sainte, 3 Leçons de Ténèbres du Mercredy'', Il Seminario Musicale, Gérard Lesne. Harmonic records Cantus. 1993 Diapason d’or ** Hasnaa Bennani, Isabelle Druet, Claire Lefilliâtre (sopranos), Vincent Dumestre, Le Poème Harmonique, Alpha 2014. *

: ** Claire Lefilliâtre (soprano), Vincent Dumestre, Le Poème Harmonique, Alpha 2002. **

Sophie Karthäuser Sophie Karthäuser (born May 1974) is a Belgian operatic soprano. She has performed internationally, especially in roles by Mozart such as Ilia in ''Idomeneo'' and Pamina in ''The Magic Flute''. She is also a recitalist, performing and recording ...

(soprano),

Sébastien Daucé Sébastien Daucé is a French conductor, born in Rennes (France) on 4 June 1980. He is artistic director and founder of Ensemble Correspondences, formed from alumni of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon.Ensemble Correspondances, Harmonia Mundi 2015. *

**''Neuf Leçons de Ténèbres'', Ivete Piveteau, conductor, Noemi Rime, soprano, Nathalie Stutzmann, contralto, Charles Brett, haute-contre, Howard Crook, ténor, Virgin classics 1989 **''Neuf leçons de Ténèbres, Marc Mauillon, Myriam Rigol, viole de gambe, Roussel Thibaut, luth, Mankar-Bennis, clavecin. CD'' Harmonia Mundi 2018 *

**''Leçons de Ténèbres and Répons,'' Collegium Vocale 1704, Collegium 1704, Vaclav Luks, conductor. CD Accent 2012

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lecons De Tenebres French music Vocal music Baroque compositions Tenebrae