Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre
was one of the first to be rediscovered in the wave of attention given to female composers, but there is still plenty of her music awaiting widespread performance. Here,
Ensemble Amarillis
, with an almost all-female ensemble (theorbist
Marc Wolff
doesn't get to pose with the group but does get a photo of his own), takes on two of
de la Guerre
's secular solo cantatas, and these have not been widely performed. One, in fact, receives its world premiere here in the instrumentation given. Both cantatas feature strong female figures, the head-slicing biblical
Judith
and
Semele
from Greek mythology. One can debate the proto-feminist aspect of
's decision to set these texts, but they are exceptionally vivid settings, whatever the case may be. The recitatives, in particular, have strongly dramatic qualities; sample "C'en est fait" from the
cantata. Two of
's instrumental works are also included (and streaming service listeners should note that they ended up in the wrong places; the cantatas should not be broken up). These also have many unusual qualities, with the
Suite in G major
featuring the lively recorder playing of
Amarillis
director
Heloise Gaillard
. In general,
's music offers novel takes on the critical stylistic issue of the day, the mixture of Italian and French elements. This is essential listening for anyone who suspects that the new attention given to female composers is motivated by tokenism; this music is as compelling as anything else of its time. The
Evidence Classics
label furnishes another attraction in the form of excellent sound from the abandoned factory building called La Courroie near Avignon. ~ James Manheim