Pièces de violes

Description

Paolo Pandolfo : viola da gamba. The confidential, almost intimate world of François Couperin is well known and appreciated for its rich emotional connections that his harpsichord pieces evoke, but these same sensations can be found in music that is perhaps more secretive, composed for the viola da gamba. Paolo Pandolfo brings together in his new album with Glossa these works from Couperin's full maturity, revealing, to the same degree, the spiritual and mischievous tendencies of the composer, while unfolding the infinite subtlety of the nuances of his instrument. The Plainte of the Tenth Concert Royal is accompanied by two complete concerts from the collection of Goûts Réunis, written for two violas da gamba. But the highlight of the record is undoubtedly what could be the last works of the composer, the two suites of Pièces de violes. Their figured bass invites the use of additional instruments such as the theorbo or the harpsichord. Considered by Philippe Beaussant, who writes the essay accompanying the disc, as one of the masterpieces of the composer, the Second Suite (which waited 250 years to be rediscovered) contains the dazzling diptych formed by Pompe funèbre (the musical testament of Couperin?) and La Chemise blanche. In this recording made in Rasteau, Paolo Pandolfo is joined by Amélie Chemin (viola da gamba) as well as Thomas Boysen (theorbo, baroque guitar) and Markus Hünninger (harpsichord), two of his diligent collaborators over the past few years.