Monsieur Dako Intro

Paris 1790: The music of Monsieur Vidal, the latest album from guitarist Pascal Valois, is dedicated to this guitarist, whose first name, date and place of birth are unknown. Vidal wrote the first guitar concerto in the history of the instrument, and remains the only guitarist to have performed at the prestigious Concert Spirituel des Tuileries, in 1776.

In this new album, Florence Bolton and Benjamin Perrot revisit the composer who gave their ensemble its delightful name, ‘La Rêveuse’. Drawing on his heritage (Sainte-Colombe), his friendships (Robert de Visée) and his own visionary genius, Marin Marais blazed new trails for his instrument in his second book of viol pieces (1701). Alongside the customary dances and sets of variations, he invented the ‘character pieces’ that were to become so popular in the eighteenth century.

Between 1680 and 1728, Marin Marais brought the pièce de viole to the peak of perfection. An ‘unremitting’ teacher, he was also the publisher of his own music and invented special signs to notate certain ornaments for the viol. In the course of his research at the Salzburg Mozarteum, the Italian gambist Vittorio Ghielmi studied these manuscript codes, in the hand of Marais himself or his direct students. ‘This led me to a new vision of French Baroque music, which applies not only to the viola da gamba, but also to vocal and orchestral music. These signs reveal the technique of playing in action.

Between 1680 and 1728, Marin Marais brought the pièce de viole to the peak of perfection. An unremitting’ teacher, he was also the publisher of his own music and invented special signs to notate certain ornaments for the viol. In the course of his research at the Salzburg Mozarteum, the Italian gambist Vittorio Ghielmi studied these manuscript codes, in the hand of Marais himself or his direct students. ‘This led me to a new vision of French Baroque music, which applies not only to the viola da gamba, but also to vocal and orchestral music. These signs reveal the technique of playing in action. Contrary to the static descriptions of the treatises of the time, one has the impression of seeing didactic “videos”.’