French Flute Concertos Leclair · Blavet · Buffardin · Naudot French Flute Concertos
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French Flute Concertos Leclair · Blavet · Buffardin · Naudot French Flute Concertos Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764) Pierre Gabriel Buffardin (c.1690-1768) Concerto in C major, Opus 7 No. 3 Concerto in E minor 1 Allegro 5:24 8 Allegro 5:02 2 Adagio 5:20 9 Andante 4:08 3 Allegro assai 4:08 10 Vivace 4:20 Michel Blavet (1700-1768) Jacques Christophe Naudot (c.1690-1762) Concerto in A minor Concerto in G major, Opus 17 No. 5 4 Allegro 6:27 11 Allegro 4:15 5 Gavotte I / Gavotte II Tendrement 3:18 12 Adagio 3:34 6 Allegro 5:08 13 Allegro 3:27 Michel Corrette (1707-1795) Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (1689-1755) Concerto in G minor, Opus 4 No. 4 Concerto in G major, Opus 21 No. 3 7 Adagio 3:04 14 Affettuoso 1:58 This recording is dedicated to my dearest friend Andreas Glatt, unequaled flutemaker and founder of the Accent label, who passed away in 2013. Les Buffardins Frank Theuns Frank Theuns transverse flute & piccolo François Fernandez, Maia Silberstein violin Barbara Konrad viola Rainer Zipperling violoncello Frank Coppieters double bass Siebe Henstra harpsichord Frank Theuns direction ENGLISH The 18th Century French Flute Concerto With the inception of the Concert Spirituel public mended as possible alternative solo instruments concert series in 1725, the Italian musical taste to the violin. Whilst Leclair stays faithfull to the seems to have captured the French capital in record Vivaldian model in the fast movements of this time. Travelling virtuosi and child prodigies, many gorgeous concerto, he does introduce some French of them Italian, performed their own sonatas and stylistic elements to the slow movement. This con- concertos, which often served as interludes to motets certo was probably written for the famous flautist by Delalande and Campra. These perfomances were Michel Blavet, since the two colleagues often per- enthusiastically received by a large public of both formed together. the middle class and the nobility. Stylistic echoes of The self-taught flute virtuosoMichel Blavet Albinoni and Vivaldi can be heard in many pieces (1700-1768) spent his whole life in aristocratic of these eminent players. French flautists Buffardin circles. In 1723 he went to Paris in the entourage and Blavet appeared with their Italian inspired of Duke Charles Eugène Lévis. By 1728 he had en- flute concertos in 1726, just one year before the tered the service of the Prince of Carignan who publication of Boismortier’s opus 15. This set of six introduced him into the Freemasons, and from concertos for five flutes without bass, the first to 1731 onwards he worked for the Count of Cler- appear in France, was then followed by Corrette’s mont. The fact that Blavet could decline Prince opus 3 and 4 in 1728. These works were clearly Frederick the Great’s invitation to join his court written for the enjoyment of amateur players. orchestra gives an indication of his unrivalled The French violin virtuoso, dancer and composer position as an artist. As a matter of fact Blavet Jean-Marie Leclair l’aîné (1697-1764) published held the most prestigious posts in Parisian musi- his first set of six violin concertos in 1737, a sec- cal life for decades. in 1738 he became first flute ond one appeared in 1745. The Italianate style of for the Musique du Roy and two years later joined these sets may be partly explained by his regular the opera orchestra. He was highly acclaimed by visits to Turin between 1722 and 1726. There he many of his contemporaries for his singing tone, received (according to Quantz), violin lessons from his impeccable intonation (even in remote keys) G. B. Somis, who himself had been a pupil of both and his brilliant technique. His first appearance Corelli and Vivaldi. In 1728 Leclair made his début at the Concert Spirituel in 1726, probably with at the Concert Spirituel, where his concertos were his own concerto, is reported by the newspapers warmly applauded. For the third violin concerto of as follows: “Mr Blavet played concertos on the his opus 7, both the flute and the oboe are recom- transverse flute which gave the large audience 5 ENGLISH tremendous pleasure.” The two outer movements teacher, active in Parisian aristocratic and bourgeois of his flute concerto show Blavet’s preference for circles. He was one of the founders of the free- long virtuoso passages, whilst structurally obeying masons lodge ‘Coustos-Villeroy’, and elected as its to Vivaldi’s ritornello model. The slow movement ‘superintendent of music’ in 1737. In this capacity consists of two charming French gavottes. he may have had considerable influence on Paris- One of the first musicians to introduce a set of solo ian musical life. Most of his compositions were pub- concertos based on Vivaldi’s ritornello model in lished between 1726 and 1740, among them a set of France was the versatile but as yet quite unknown seven-part flute concertos, his opus 11. A second set composer and arranger Michel Corrette (1707- of six concertos, opus 17 was written for a hurdy- 1795). In 1728 he published two volumes of six gurdy, musette, flute, recorder or oboe and dedi- concertos for flute, oboe or violin and basso con- cated to the hurdy-gurdy virtuoso Danguy l’aîné. tinuo, opus 3 and 4, promoting the Italian style. A On this recording however, the solo part of the fifth large proportion of his musical output is based on concerto is played on a piccolo as suggested by Cor- popular tunes or opera themes. The quality of Cor- rette in his Méthode raisonnée pour apprendre aisé- rette’s music could be considered as being rather ment à jouer la flûte traversière (1735). unequal. While the outer movements of his con- Joseph Bodin de Boismortier (1689-1755) was certo opus 4 n° 4 – not included in this recording one of the most prolific French composers of his – are fairly weak, the Adagio stands out for its long time. Between 1724 and 1747 he published more breathed ‘cantabile’ and its colourful harmonies. than a hundred opus numbers. Many of these Pierre Gabriel Buffardin’s (c. 1690-1768) flute pieces are written for flute amateurs and reflect concerto in E-minor is, with the exception of a trio the prevailing Italian taste. His music can be de- sonata in A-major for flute, violin and basso con- scribed as melodious, elegant and at times simple tinuo, the only known composition of this French but nevertheless original in its use of texture, har- flautist. From 1715 till 1749 he was a member of the mony and rhythm. His opus 21, a set of six con- magnificent court orchestra of August the Strong certos written for flutes, violins or oboes with the in Dresden. In 1726 and 1737 Buffardin performed accompaniment of a basso continuo, appeared at the Concert Spirituel in Paris, where he might in 1728. An exquisite Affettuoso, taken from the have presented this technically demanding con- third concerto of this volume, is concluding this certo. J. J. Quantz, who studied with Buffardin for recording. Although Boismortier proposes the use four months, held him in high esteem, praising his of a Zampogna (i. e. musette) or a recorder, here remarkable talent in performing quick movements. the solo part is performed on a transverse flute. Jacques Christophe Naudot (c. 1690-1762) was a French composer, flautist, hurdy-gurdy player and Frank Theuns 6 FRANÇ AIS FRANÇ AIS Le Concerto français pour flûte traversière au XVIIIe siècle (même dans les modulations aux tons éloignés) et orchestre de la cour du prince-électeur de Saxe, sa brillante technique. Sa première apparition au Frédéric-Auguste dit « le Fort », à Dresde, de 1715 Concert Spirituel date de 1726 où, si l’on en croit à 1749. Buffardin se produisit au Concert Spirituel La capitale française paraît s’être éprise du goût ses débuts au Concert Spirituel où ses concertos une chronique d’époque, il aurait pu interpréter à Paris en 1726 et 1737 où il est possible qu’il ait musical italien dès le début de la saison de concerts furent chaleureusement salués. Dans son troisième son propre concerto : « Le Sieur Blavet joua de interprété ce concerto très exigeant d’un point publics donnés en 1725 par le Concert Spirituel. concerto pour violon de l’opus 7, et ainsi que le concerto (sic) sur la flûte traversière qui firent un de vue technique. J. J. Quantz, son élève pendant Virtuoses de passage ou enfants prodiges – pour conseillait le compositeur, la partie de soliste peut extrême plaisir à la nombreuse assemblée qui s‘y quatre mois, le tenait en haute estime, louant son nombre d’entre eux Italiens – interprétaient leurs être remplacée par la flûte ou par le hautbois. Bien trouva. » Les premier et dernier mouvements de talent extraordinaire dans l’exécution de mouve- propres sonates et concertos qui servaient souvent que Leclair reste fidèle au modèle vivaldien pour son concerto pour flûte montrent sa prédilection ments rapides. d’intermèdes musicaux aux motets de Delalande et les mouvements rapides de ce concerto, il intro- pour les longs passages virtuoses, même si le com- Jacques Christophe Naudot (env. 1690-1762), Campra. Ces concerts étaient accueillis avec en- duit quelques éléments stylistiques français dans le positeur reste fidèle à la structure des ritournelles professeur, flûtiste, joueur d’orgue de barbarie et thousiasme par un vaste public aussi bien populaire mouvement lent. À considérer le grand nombre de vivaldiennes. Quant au mouvement lent, il s’agit de compositeur français, était très actif dans les cercles que noble. Ainsi, les échos stylistiques d’un Albi- concerts qu’ils donnaient ensemble, Leclair a pro- deux gavottes françaises pleines de charme.