La Gamme et autres morceaux de simphonie

Trio Sonnerie Marin Marais La Gamme et autres morceaux de simphonie

Trio Sonnerie Monica Huggett violin Emilia Benjamin da gamba James Johnstone

Recorded at Post-production by St. Mary’s Church, François Eckert Dalton-in-Furness, Design by Cumbria, UK gmtoucari.com 7-9 June 2011 Photographs of Produced and recorded by Monica Huggett by Hiroshi Iwaya François Eckert Emilia Benjamin by Marco Borggreve James Johnstone by Stefan Schweiger Trio Sonnerie by Ben Joseph

Cover image: Young Woman Playing a Viola da Gamba (oil on canvas), Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) / Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany / Giraudon / The Bridgeman Art Library

2 Marin Marais (1656 – 1728) La Gamme en forme de petit Opéra 1. uT – ...... 08:53 2. SOL – ...... 05:59 3. UT – ...... 08:03 4. SOL – ...... 12:47 5. Sonate à la Marésienne...... 12:57 Antoine Forqueray (1671 – 1745) Pièces de viole, avec la basse continue: Suite No. 1 en ré mineur 6. allemande. La Laborde...... 04:39 7. La Forqueray ...... 03:26 8. La Cottin...... 03:15 9. La Bellmont...... 03:37 10. La Portugaise...... 02:54 11. La Couperin...... 04:35

Marin Marais 12. Sonnerie de Sainte Geneviève du Mont de Paris...... 07:54

Total Time:...... 79.00

3 owards the end of the first decade of the 18th century in Paris an unusual and ambitious project was under way for an imposing Tmonument, surrounded by equally elaborate gardens. Le Parnasse Français, brainchild of the highly cultivated man of letters Titon du Tillet (1677-1762), was to be a celebration of the glorious succession of poets and musicians during the reign of Louis XIV. Increasing artistic ambition and rising costs lent the project an air of a mad folly and eventually it was abandoned. But even if the physical representation of such artistic giants as Corneille, Molière, Racine and Lully proved impracticable, Titon du Tillet set down his work in word. For this we can be grateful, for he provided us with vital biographical information about such as Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, Louis Couperin, De la Lande, Bernier, as well as Marin Marais. Titon du Tillet tells us that, born in Paris on 31st May 1656, Marais studied first with Nicolas Hotman, then with the renowned viola da gamba virtuoso and pedagogue, Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe. According to Titon du Tillet, this opportunity was short lived for after a mere six months the older man realised that his pupil had surpassed him. In 1676 Marais became a member of Lully’s orchestra, L’Académie Royale de Musique; three years later he was appointed the Ordinaire de la chambre du Roi pour la viole, and remained in royal service until his retirement 46 years later in 1725. Marais’ five books ofPièces de Viole, covering the period 1686-1725, demonstrate the pervasive and incremental influence of Italian style, highlighting the threat to French cultural autonomy expounded in Le Parnasse Français. Whilst his Premier Livre (1686) respected the classical sequence of dances following a prelude, the Quatrième Livre (1717), published six years prior to La Gamme, significantly includes a section entitledSuitte d’un Gout Etranger containing 33 pieces of diverse character, titles and keys. It is therefore not surprising to find Marais’ continued exploration of Italian taste in his next publication.

4 In 1723, two years before relinquishing his post to his son Vincent, and five years before his demise, Marais published three works in a single volume (presented here in its entirety): La Gamme et autres morceaux de simphonie pour le violon, la viole et le clavecin. In scope and instrumentation they are unique in Marais’ output. To be performed on the same instruments throughout– violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord – they explore the extraordinarily varied musical language of a mature . La Marésienne is a violin sonata with movements from the French suite mixed in equal measure with Italianate compositional idiom; Sonnerie de Sainte Geneviève du Mont de Paris is a on 3 notes – D, F, E – with a now emancipated independent viola da gamba part; and La Gamme, an ‘Opéra’ of some 35 minutes of continuous music, alternating between trio and duo textures. Titon du Tillet cites two works by Marais in Le Parnasse Français: ‘a pièce from his fourth book entitled Le Labyrinth, which passes through various keys, strikes various dissonances and notes the uncertainty of a man caught in a labyrinth through serious and then quick passages; he comes out of it happily and finishes with a gracious and natural chaconne. But he (Marais) surprised musical connoisseurs even more successfully with his pieces called La Gamme, which is a pièce de symphonie that imperceptibly ascends the steps of the octave; one then descends, thereby going through harmonious songs and melodious tones, the various sounds of music.’ In some ways La Gamme is, at nearly 900 bars in length, as unusual and unexpected to our ears as it must have been to contemporary audiences. Given Marais’ increasing predilection for character pieces, it was a short step from the classical French suite to creating a larger canvas from contrasting musical units. In Le Labyrinth he had found success following a programmatic scheme; in La Gamme an ascending harmonic scale, while less harmonically adventurous, provided a unifying element, both in figuration and long term structure.

5 The 45 sections of over half an hour of musical thought, in the key sequence C, d, e, F, g/G, a, b, C/c/C, b, a/A, G/g, F, E, d/D, C, contain a myriad of changing characters, metre and tempi as well as instrumental textures. Dances and forms explored include an allemande, , , , and rondeaux. The viola da gamba is by turns an obligato virtuoso – witness the extended F Major chaconne during the ascent – and a reinforcer of the continuo bass line. Transitions, often merely a single bar in length, ease us from one ‘holding pattern’ tonality to the next position, or foothold, on this musical colossus. Acknowledging in his Avertissement (notably also given in Italian) the very considerable length of La Gamme, Marais suggests possible divisions of the work into two, three or even four sections, ‘so as not to bore the listener’. Whilst not anticipating ennui in our listeners, we have however transplanted his advice to our modern age by dividing the work into four separate tracks for ease of listening navigation. Written on two staves, Sonate à la Marésienne comprises seven clearly delineated sections or movements within a continuous whole: prélude, allemande, , , chaconne, gravement, and . The fifth section, echoing as it does the scale of the ‘Petit opéra’ and foreshadowing the ostinato of the Sonnerie, is in asymmetrical binary form with the ostinato passing between bass and violin while becoming more elaborate in note value and rhythm. The Sonnerie, written on three staves and again highlighting the viola da gamba, continues this exploration of ostinato form. Over the course of some 302 bars the harmonically static, hypnotic three-note ostinato evokes the ringing bells under a display of virtuosic, improvisatory writing. Whilst many contemporaries considered Marais the foremost viola da gamba exponent of his day, there was a rival, some 16 years his junior, who now laid claim to his crown: Antoine Forqueray. ‘Crabbed, whimsical and odd’ was

6 Hubert le Blanc’s assessment of this awe-inspiring performer. He went further: ‘The was viewed with favour by King Louis XIV ... the elder Marais for his Pieces, and the elder Forcroi for his Preludes preceding the Sonata. The one was said to have played like an Angel, and the other to have played like the Devil.’ Some of this diabolic virtuosity is evident in his works for the viola da gamba, stretching the technical limits of any performer now or then. Antoine’s son Jean-Baptiste, also a viola da gamba player, was clearly a chip off the old block in terms of musical talent. Given that Forqueray père was an intensely jealous man, proud, inflexible, cruel, and determined to be the greatest viola da gamba player ever, one can only imagine the sounds that filled the house during Jean-Baptiste’s lessons. Their strained relationship came to a head when Forqueray père succeeded in having his son imprisoned and later attempted to banish him from the kingdom for ten years on charges of debauchery and stealing from the houses of his patrons. Seemingly without any grudge, Forqueray fils published in 1747 his father’s gamba music under the title Piéces de Viole avec la Basse Continuë Composées par Mr Forqueray le Pere. Forqueray père composed more than 300 pieces, of which 29 have survived – three were added by Forqueray fils. For no doubt sound commercial reasons they were published in two different versions: one for viola da gamba with and the other as transcriptions for solo harpsichord, perhaps made with the assistance of his accomplished harpsichordist wife, Marie-Rose Dubois. We have chosen to dip into both versions, dividing up the spoils between viola da gamba and harpsichord solo. © James Johnstone, 2013

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Trio Sonnerie

rio Sonnerie is one of the longest established and most highly regarded chamber groups working in Europe today. Having begun its life in 1982 Tas a trio of violin, viola da gamba and harpsichord, it evolved into a more flexible group, allowing it to perform repertoire such as Bach and concerti, and extend its limits to classical, even early Romantic composers. This recording heralds the return of the group to the trio format. Trio Sonnerie and Sonnerie, its alter ego, have made countless recordings and played in most national and international . They bring to the music ‘playing of real elegance’ (The Independent) and ‘one could even go as far as to say musical bliss!’ (The Times).

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Monica Huggett

onica Huggett took up the violin at age six. Her talent became apparent quickly and it was decided by her parents and teachers Mthat she would become a violinist, which saved her from the agony of having to decide what to do with her life. At age sixteen, she entered the as a student of . Although she did well and won several prizes, she was not entirely comfortable with her instrument until she was given a Baroque violin. She was immediately won over by the mellow quality of the gut strings and became a fervent champion of the Baroque violin. In the intervening decades, she co-founded the Amsterdam with ; founded Sonnerie; worked with at the ; and with at . She also performs frequently as a solo violinist all over the world and directs the Portland Baroque Orchestra and the Irish Baroque Orchestra. Her recent history of accolades includes the Vantaa Baroque Energy Prize (Finland) in 2005 and the ‘Best Instrumental Recording’ award at the Gramophone Awards for Heinrich Biber’s Violin Sonatas, 2002. In 2009, her CD Music for a Young Prince (Sonnerie), won a Diapason d’Or and was nominated for a Grammy award in 2010. Currently Monica is Artistic Advisor and Artist-in-Residence at the Juilliard School. Violin by Joseph Albani (Bolzano, 1707).

11 Emilia Benjamin Viola da gamba

milia discovered her desire to be a professional musician rather than just a dilettante violinist when she took up the treble viol while studying EHistory of Art at the University of East Anglia. She went on to study the viol and Baroque violin at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and then viol with in Brussels. In addition, Emilia plays viola and lirone and now performs on all four instruments on a fairly even basis. Her musical life has covered a wide range: she has been a member of the viol consort Concordia for many years and now plays treble and tenor viol with Phantasm, directed by ; with Sonnerie, which Emilia has been playing in since 1995, she has played everything from English divisions and French Baroque through Mozart quartets and Bach to Mendlessohn piano quartets; Early Italian on the viol and lirone with Glyndebourne, Early Opera Company, Norwegian State Opera and Frankfurt Oper among others; Baroque orchestral and chamber playing most recently with the Irish Baroque Orchestra, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, The Dunedin Consort and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. She has also played at Shakespeare’s Globe for ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘Measure for Measure’ and ‘Anne Boleyn’. Emilia has made numerous recordings over the years. Viola da gamba by Jane Julier, copy of Bertrand (1992).

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James Johnstone Harpsichord

or more than two decades James Johnstone has been active as a soloist and continuo player, performing and recording with all the major FUK-based period instrument ensembles, as well as groups in Germany, Canada, Italy and Holland. He has worked with conductors such as Bernard Haitink and Simon Rattle and symphony orchestras of Chicago and Boston. These days his interests are focused on recital work, chamber music and teaching. As a recitalist, he has performed throughout the UK as well as in Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Israel, Colombia and most recently the USA. He appears on twenty-two recordings on Deutsche Grammophon with the Gabrieli Consort and Players, ten discs with Florilegium, and was the first European to record on an 18th century organ built by the indigenous Indians in Santa Ana, Bolivia. He has also recorded six solo discs of works by Blow, Gibbons, E Pasquini, Cornet, Elizabethan Virginalists and a Bach recital on the Waalse Kerk organ, Amsterdam. He will soon release a CD of Bach’s Clavierübung III recorded on the Wagner organ in Trondheim cathedral. Besides Trio Sonnerie, he currently works with the Monteverdi Choir, Trinity Baroque, I Furiosi, Harmonie Universelle Cologne and La Serenissima. James is professor of early keyboards at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. Harpsichord by Stephan Geiger (1996), after Johann Christoph Österlein (Berlin, 1792).

15 Also available on Linn CKD 434

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