From: velde2@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Francois Velde)
Subject: Re: French Baroque Chamber Music
Organization: HAC - Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 20:17:35 GMT

In article <1993Jan4.175700.6742@midway.uchicago.edu> pkbockus@gsbphd.uchicago.edu (Keith Bockus) writes:
>Since Tower Records storewide sale, is just a week or so
>away, it's time to make up my shopping list and I'd like
>to solicit your help.  I'm looking to expand my collection
>of French (and perhaps Italian) baroque chamber music.
>I've got some Rameau, Marais, Forqueray, and Leclair.
>For the Italians, I only have the standard Corelli.
>Who should I be seeking out?


Here are some composers whose music I know. I have added a list of composers
whose music I don't know, but which sounds interesting. I offer opinions,
but I don't pretend to know much about any of this.

I know little of the history of French chamber music, but from my experience
it seems that there was a strong lute tradition by the end of the 16th century.
As the lute died out as a solo instrument, part of that tradition was carried
over, by d'Anglebert and Couperin, to the harpsichord. Couperin and Rameau
are the highest points of harpsichord music, even if the mid-18th century 
still has interesting characters (Balbastre, Daquin). I know nothing of the
organ music (Nicolas de Grigny, Couperin, etc).  The bass viol survived in
France well after it was overtaken by the violin family, in part because 
Louis XIV loved the bass viol, and what the King wanted... I know little
of the violin school.  There are also a great number of composers for flute.

French music of the second half of the 17th c was dominated by Louis XIV 
and his conception of all arts as servants working ad majorem regis gloriam,
committed to extolling the virtues of the King. This is obvious in opera
and religious music, but it also seeps through in chamber music: only those
musicians who found favor with the King could really publish and be heard.
After Louis XIV's death (1715), the arts in general, and perhaps music in
particular, were freed from the political constraints, only to find that
they did not know what to do with themselves. The 18th century in France
is empty in poetry and drama, and only "dissidents" like Voltaire and
Diderot provide much interest in fiction and essays. Music suffers similarly:
I would say that, for the most part, French chamber music after 1730 slowly
slided into decadence.  There is a peculiar lightness, a quest of grace and
elegance over meaning and substance, which runs through a lot of that music:
that can be a quality or a flaw, depending on how good the composer is. 
After Rameau, for example, harpsichord music aimed to please, and did not
strive for depth: it ends up being facile and frivolous at times.  There is
no equivalent, anywhere, to Bach's clavier or violin solo music.  Those 
are not monumetns of the human spirit, they are charming "divertissements",
with the original meaning of ways to divert your attention from grave matters.


Bass Viol Music:

* Marin Marais (1656-1728), the greatest. There are several selections from
	his volumes, recorded by Jordi Savall and friends, all splendid.
	Nicolaus and Alice Harnoncourt recorded a suite and the Sonnerie
	du Mont Sainte Genevieve. The piece called "la Gamme", by Charles
	Medlam and the London Baroque. The trio Amalia recorded some pieces
	from the second volume. I do not recommend the Smithsonian players
	in their interpretation for pieces from the 1st volume.
* Antoine Forqueray (1671-1745): the other great viol player. Marais played 
	like an angel, Forqueray like a devil. At his death 5 suites of his 
	were published by his son Jean-Baptiste (1699-1782), who also 
	transcribed them for harpsichord.
	The Kuijken brothers recorded one suite (as well as one by Charles
	Dolle) on Accent, Jordi Savall has a breathtaking recording of 2
	suites, Gustav Leonhardt has a superb recording of 2 suites as
	transcribed for harpsichord.
* Sainte-Colombe: beautiful recording of some pieces, by Jordi Savall, on
	Astree.
* Francois Couperin: there are some pieces, again by Jordi Savall, very nice.
* Caix d'Hervelois (1670-1760): the last of the great players, but his 
	compositions (again by Jordi Savall) as not thrilling.

Lute Music:

Ennemond Gaultier (1575-1651) and Denis Gaultier his cousin (died 1672):
	there is a recording of each by Hopkinson Smith on Astree. Splendid
	music, very rich, soulful, delicate, magnificent interpretation.

Harpsichord music:

Jean-Henry d'Anglebert (1628-91): complete works by Scott Ross on Erato. 
	Beautiful music.
Jean-Baptiste Rameau (1683-1764): the greatest probably. I can only recommend 
	the recordings by William Christie, which are astounding: elegant,
	sensitive, virtuosic at times, forceful when needed. Beautiful. Also,
	Olivier Beaumont has begun (finished?) a complete recording, and he
	is very good too.
Francois Couperin (1668-1733): lots of pieces, grouped in Ordres. I am not as 
	familiar with them. I think Blandine Verlet, a very good harpsichordist,	has recorded them all. Rousset and Christie have recorded l'Apotheose
	de Lulli, for 2 harpsichords.
Louis Couperin : uncle of Francois. Gustav Leonhardt has some pieces on a
	Philips recording.
Begnigne Balbastre (1727-99): not as beautiful as Rameau, but some very nice 
	pieces from a 1759 volume, recorded by Anne Robert.
Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772): nice stuff, from a 1751 volume. Also by Anne 
	Robert.
Jacques Duphly: for the die-hard, a 4-CD complete recording.

Violin: 
* Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764): perhaps the most famous French violinist of 
	the time.
* Jean-Joseph Cassanea de Mondonville (1711-1772): a delightful recording 
	by Christophe Rousset and Florence Malgoire.

I have a little volume by Evrard Titon du Tillet, called "description
du Parnasse Francais", published in 1732 and augmented in 1743 and 1755.
It purports to be a description of the lives of the most important 
musicians of the reign of Louis XIV, and it covers roughly 1640-1740.
It is not complete, or perhaprs accurate, but it contains many charming
anecdotes. The story on M. Marais and Sainte-Colombe, as used in the 
movie "tous les matins du monde", comes from this book. 

Anyway, I jotted down the musicians noted by Titon for their chamber
music, and I mention the recordings I have seen in a catalog. A few 
recordings are anthologies, I gave the reference at the end.

Jacques Champion de Chambonnieres (1602-1672): harpsichord music (organ too).
	Kenneth Gilbert recorded his works.
Elizabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre (1664-1729): she was gifted for playing
	the harpsichord, improvising, and composing. She found success at the
	royal court, and published operas and cantatas. There are also 
	harpsichord pieces (Kenneth Gilbert recorded some), violin sonatas 
	(in L'Art de l'Archet).  
Jean-Baptiste Senaille (1688-1730): a talented violinist, he combined "the
	natural, noble and graceful singing of French music with the 
	sophisticated and brilliant harmonies of Italian music".  
	(in L'Art de l'Archet).  
Francois Duval (1672-1728): "one of the best violinists of the King's Music",
	left 7 volumes of violin sonatas. (in L'Art de l'Archet).
Pierre Danican Philidor and his son Francois, "excellent oboists". 
Jacques Hoteterre (1674-1763), and his son, both flutists.
Jean-Francois Dandrieu (1684-1740): "his music is in the style of Couperin;
	his manner of composing is precise, flowing, unencumbered of this
	sophisticated harmony and these daring and brilliant passages which
	surprise the mind more than they touch the heart". 5 volumes of 
	harpsichord pieces.
Nicolas Clerambault (1676-1749): mainly known for his cantatas, there is 
	also harpsichord music, recorded by Kenneth Gilbert.
Pierre Gaultier (1642-1697): "one of the first French musicians to excel in
	his art... the Connoisseurs highly praise his duos and trios for 
	violin and flute". 
Michel Monteclair (1667-1737):  Concerts, cantates francaises (disques Pierre
	Verany), by  the Pariser Quartett. 
Michel de la Barre (1670-1746): a flutist who left 6 volumes of flute music.
	"It can be said that he was the best of his time on this instrument."
	His music was recorded by Stephen Preston, Jordi Savall, Blandine
	Verlet and Hopkinson Smith on Astree.

Selections:
* French Recorder Music. Telefunken. music by A,. Dornel, Rebel, Gautier, played
	by Quadro Hoteterre.
* Baroque Flute Sonatas. Pandora Records. music by Hoteterre, Blavet, Telemann,
	Quantz, CPE Bach, palyed by Alex Murray and Martha Goldstein.
* Musique pour la Chambre du Roy. Oiseau-Lyre. music by Couperin, Monteclair,
	Forqueray, Leclair, Marais, by Academy of Ancient Music.
* French Flute Music of the 18th c. Musical Heritage Society. music by Blavet, 
	Guignon, Leclair, Bodin de Boismortier, played by the Kuijken brothers.
* Virtuoso Music in 18th c. France. Musical Heritage Society.  music by Duval,
	Mondonville, Marais, Rameau, Leclair, by Trio Taskin.
* l'Art de l'Archet. Adda. music by Jacquet de la Guerre, Duval, Mascitti, 
	Dornel, Senaille; by Jaap Schroder, Philippe Foulon, Ketil Haugsand.
* Conversation Galante. Archiv. music by Francoeur, Philidor, JK.B. Quentin, 
	played by Musica Antiqua Koln.

-- 

	Francois Velde

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