6 Sonates pour basson

Description

Antoine Dard is one of the many musicians who revolve around the main musical institutions of the monarchy, serving as the principal bassoonist in the orchestra of the Académie royale de musique in Paris and as the "Grand hautbois de la Chambre et écuries du Roi" at Versailles. While not an overlooked genius in the history of music, "Mr. Dard" — as he signs all his scores — can be considered a singular composer. The following announcement appeared in the Parisian press on January 11, 1759: "6 sonatas for bassoon, composed by Sr. Dard & very useful for those who wish to play this instrument well. These sonatas are said to be unique in their kind, and can also be performed on the cello." These works are unique both within his personal output and in the 18th century in general, as well as in the specific repertoire for the bassoon. Dard uses the bassoon like an opera tenor in "bel canto" and frequently employs, among other difficulties, the high register of the instrument in a way that no composer had done before him and would not do long after. While it is true that from the second half of the 18th century, bassoon tablatures begin to provide fingerings up to the high D/F, music for the instrument never exceeds the high G/A, apart from the mysterious high orchestral parts of Rameau — which do not reach as high as the sonatas — and the famous high B-flat of Mozart's concerto. The high register would not become common until sixty years later, after countless improvements to the instrument's construction. Melodically, due to the abundant ornamentation, the bassoon part is very dense and lyrical, and the blend of this over-ornamentation with the galant style produces a rather unique effect. In their structure, however, the sonatas remain more traditional. Nevertheless, the slow movements are remarkable from a formal perspective, written in one go, without repeats or recapitulations, and are closer to the arioso — which did not exist in France at that time. Despite their distinctly French character, the Italian influence is evident in Dard's sonatas: he certainly knew the works of many Italian composers circulating in France at the time. Antoine Dard left the Parisian music scene as discreetly as he entered it. He leaves behind the image of a reserved man, without scandal, far from the whimsical virtuoso that his abilities likely allowed him to be. After studying bassoon with Noël Devos as well as guitar, viola da gamba, writing, composition, conducting, and architecture in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, RICARDO RAPOPORT joined the Brazilian Symphony Orchestra. In 1984, he moved to Paris to refine his playing with Maurice Allard at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique. There, he obtained the First Prize in bassoon and, after a cycle of advanced studies in chamber music with Maurice Bourgue, he received a scholarship from the French government to pursue "Advanced Studies in Music" at the Banff Center (Canada) and then dedicated himself to the baroque bassoon. Since then, alongside his activities as a chamber musician and soloist, he regularly plays and records for various labels with baroque music ensembles such as Le Parlement de Musique, Les Musiciens du Louvre, La Petite Bande, the Ensemble Baroque de Limoges, the Ensemble Matheus, and Le Concert Spirituel, among others. Also passionate about contemporary music, which he practices regularly, he participates in numerous premieres. He teaches bassoon, baroque bassoon, and chamber music at the Conservatoire National de Région de Rennes and is regularly invited by festivals and workshops in Europe and Brazil. After studying harpsichord for several years with Yannick le Gaillard, PASCAL DUBREUIL obtained the First Prizes in harpsichord and continuo at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. He then completed his training with numerous workshops, notably with Kenneth Gilbert, and particularly with Gustav Leonhardt. He also studied conducting with Nicolas Brochot. He was a laureate of the International Competition in Bruges in 1997. He performs and records in France and Europe as a harpsichordist, but also on clavichord and fortepiano, as a soloist and in chamber music, notably with Musica Aeterna, the baroque orchestra of Bratislava, or with Claire Michon, Patrick Ayrton, François Fernandez, or Bruno Boterf, and as a continuo player on harpsichord and organ for vocal ensembles such as the Ensemble Vocal de l'Abbaye aux Dames de Saintes and Sagittarius. He is invited by festivals such as the Printemps des Arts, the Académies Musicales de Saintes, the Barcelona Baroque Music Festival, or the International Festival of Bratislava. Pascal Dubreuil is a professor of harpsichord and chamber music and head of the Early Music Department at the Conservatoire National de Région de Rennes. He is regularly invited to participate in juries or to give workshops or master classes, in France and abroad. He is also a trainer, invited for chamber music and musical rhetoric of the baroque era, at the Teacher Training Center for Dance and Music in Poitiers. Karine Sérafin, soprano François Nicolet, flute.