Marais Reveuse

French composers of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries delighted in adorning their pieces with foreign, in particular, Italian, elements, often calling attention to them in the titles. Among the most subtle transalpine stylists was Francois Couperin, who was refining the ‘French style’ and publishing his legacy in the form of harpsichord and chamber music. His contemporary, Marin Marais, contributed his own subtle essay in the exotic, a “Suitte d’un gout etranger” published in his Fourth Book of Pieces de une et a trois viole (1717), nearly 30 years after his First Book (the epitome of French viol playing) had appeared.

Between 1975 and 1983, Jordi Savall recorded five albums including the most beautiful pieces from each of the five ‘Books of Pieces for the Viol’ composed by Marin Marais between 1686 and 1725. A silence of nearly 250 years came to an end. A repertoire - and even better, an instrument - returned from oblivion. The memory of a composer had never been so closely linked to the performing art of amusician. 35 years after the beginning of this history-making enterprise, the five Astree albums are offered in a remastered sound, that fully rewards the genius of Marin Marais and Jordi Savall. Luxuriously documented – as always with Alia Vox - this anthology is a must-have for any Baroque music lover.

Jordi Savall - Marin Marais - Suitte D'un Gout Etranger, Pieces De Viole Du IV Livre, 1717 (2006) {2CD Set, Alia Vox AVSA 9851}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (image)+CUE+LOG -> 576 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 257 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 630 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2006 Alia Vox | AVSA 9851 A+B | DSD mastering
Classical / Chamber Music / Baroque

French composer Marin Marais (1656-1728) was remarkably prolific, writing nearly 600 compositions for viola da gamba, as well as many operas. One of his major collections of music for the gamba is Suitte d'un Gôut Etranger, a collection of 33 short works written, according to the composer, "to stretch the skill of those who do not like easy pieces." Jordi Savall, the most acclaimed gamba player of the late twentieth and early twenty first centuries, who is responsible for bringing many of Marais' works to light, plays with extraordinary virtuosity and expressiveness.

José Miguel Moreno contrasts the uniqueness of the Angelica with the usual sound of the small theorbo.​ The differences in terms of resonance are indeed amazing, especially since the soloist does well with it to play out the musical lines on both instruments and to make broad gestures.

The repertoire on the album features music from the court at Versailles during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV: François Couperin (1668 - 1733), Robert De Visée (v. 1650-1665 - after 1732), Michel Lambert (1610-1696), Marin Marais (1656 - 1728) Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704), Jean-Henry D’Anglebert (1629- 1691) Antoine Forqueray (1672-1745) Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764).