Sonates pour musette

Description

The musette, which can best be described as a classic bagpipe with a delicate timbre, enjoyed the favor of Louis XIV, thus becoming a favored instrument among composers, performers, and makers seeking royal recognition. However, by the 1760s, it had established itself as an integral part of French culture and musical life, finding its place in theater, court, and salon music, and being practiced by both amateurs and virtuosos. Disappearing with the French Revolution, the musette was only rediscovered in the 1960s; this album highlights the unique sound world of the instrument as well as its virtuosity, pairing it with the baroque flute, baroque cello, and harpsichord.