Pièces de violes

Description

For his new album, the gambist Atsushi Sakaï focuses on Couperin (a program that he complements with a few pieces by Forqueray). An atmosphere of mystery envelops both the recorded works and their genesis. Of the two Couperins (father and son), it is the latter - François - to whom the authorship of the works has only recently been attributed; a paternity that remains uncertain for the scores of Forqueray. This enigmatic aura inspires Atsushi Sakaï and the musicians surrounding him: Christophe Rousset on harpsichord, and Marion Martineau and Isabelle Saint-Yves on viola da gamba. Their interpretation, adorned with a touching charm, draws from it. The melancholy, even the funereal character of the works, alternates with a genuine cheerfulness in the dances that make up the First Suite of Couperin. One will note here from the performers a flawless technique, serving the baroque grace of these pages.