Musique pour flûte, viole de gambe et basse continue

Description

"Blessed Boismortier, whose fertile pen can effortlessly give birth to a volume every month," thus wrote his contemporary Laborde, gently mocking the torrential output of the composer (130 Opus cataloged), who flooded the Parisian market with a plethora of sonatas, duos, concertos, quartets, and quintets from 1723, the year of his arrival in Paris, almost until his death in 1755. This abundant production, which also includes several operas, cantatas, grand motets, and airs, "surfing" on the taste of the Regency period and the early reign of Louis XV for "pastoral" music, features not only the transverse flute (the composer's instrument) but also the recorder (highlighted here), the hurdy-gurdy, the musette (a small bagpipe favored by nobles playing shepherds), as well as more traditional instruments like the violin, cello, viola da gamba, bassoon, and harpsichord. This beautiful recording by Stefano Bagliano and his ensemble presents a selection of several genres of chamber music representative of Boismortier's very French style blended with Italian influences, which suffers from an incomprehensible neglect in his own country, despite having contributed significantly to French music of this period alongside Rameau, Rebel, Bernier, Campra, Marais father and son, Forqueray father and son, Mondonville, and many others. A resurrection that would be desirable to explore further. (Jean-Michel Babin-Goasdoué)