André Raison (c.1640-1719)
- Messe du huictiesme ton des 'Livre d'orgue contenant cinq Messes
suffisantes pour tous les tons de l'Eglise ou quinze Magnificats pour
ceux qui n'ont pas besoin de messe avec des elevations toutes
particulieres. Ensuite des Benedictus : et une offerte en action de
grace pour l'heureuse convalescence du Roy en 1687. Laquelle se peut
aussi toucher sur le clavecin' (1688)
Performers: Jеan-Patricе Brossе (1950-2021, orgue); EnsеmbIe Vox
Cantoris
Further info: Messes d'orgue des 3 et 8 Tons
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French organist, composer and teacher. He was educated at the seminary
of Ste Geneviève, Nanterre. From about 1665 he was organist at the royal
abbey of Ste Geneviève, Paris; later he became organist at the church
of the Jacobins (rue St Jacques). A tax register of 1695 places him in
the top rank of Parisian organists, along with François Couperin,
D’Anglebert, Gigault, Marchand and Grigny. He taught L.-N. Clérambault,
who dedicated his Premier Livre d’orgue (1710) to Raison. Raison’s Livre
d’orgue constitutes a major portion of the extant organ mass repertory.
The masses follow the usual pattern of short organ versets for
alternatim performance of the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus and Agnus Dei.
Genres used include the traditional plein jeu, duo, trio, récit, basse
de trompette, fugue and grands jeux. Raison made no use of a plainchant
cantus firmus, but this was not unusual. These organ masses were
intended for use in convents and monasteries that had their own
contemporary mass chants (messes musicales); hence, the lack of
plainchant made the book more versatile and enabled Raison to claim that
the five masses could also be used to form 15 Magnificat settings. His
Deuxième Livre d’orgue commemorates the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) with a
setting of the Da pacem; this is followed by a fugue on the same theme,
several preludes and fugues, an offertory and an overture. The remainder
of the volume consists of an allemande and many noëls with variations.
Raison’s music is characterized by rhythmic vitality, consistent use of
imitative counterpoint and imaginative use of registration, often
requiring the full resources of a four-manual French Baroque organ.
Since Raison designed his first Livre d’orgue to assist secluded
monastic musicians, its preface contains a wealth of valuable
information about performing practice. His advice about observing the
metre of each piece to determine which dance movement is implied is
often quoted; however, it should not be inferred that Raison used dance
rhythm more than his contemporaries, or that his music is unusually
‘secular’ in nature. The book contains detailed information on
registration, ornamentation, notes inégales and fingering. A striking
example of Raison’s didacticism and attention to detail is his early use
of the double dot in the French overture-style offertory. Raison’s
influence is clear in Clérambault’s organ works; further it seems that
J.S. Bach borrowed the theme of his ‘Christe: Trio en passacaille’
(Messe du deuxième ton) for his Passacaglia in C minor.
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