acques‐Martin Hotteterre was a virtuoso recorder player at the court of Louis XIV the Sun King, in the distinguished position of Musicien de la Chambre du Roi. He was a famous composer as well, mainly for his own instrument, for which he wrote numerous works, in which he integrated Italian elements, such as instrumental brilliance and prevalence for longer melodic lines, in the courtly French style of dance forms and lavish ornamentation.
Following releases by Set Fire to Flames, Sylvain Chauveau, and Max Richter himself, Songs from Before is the fifth release on FatCat's 130701 imprint, established as a creative outlet for music of a more orchestrated, instrumental variety. Following 2004's critically acclaimed the Blue Notebooks, Songs… provides a further refined, perhaps even subtler take on Max's narrative landscape, beautifully recorded and cinematic in scope.