L’Art de Toucher: The Viola da Gamba in France

Discover the rich sound of the Viola da Gamba, a bowed seven-stringed instrument (child of the violin and the guitar), described by Marin Mersenne in 1636 as being the instrument most able to imitate the human voice “in all its modulations, even in its most intimate nuances: that of grief and joy.” The instrument reached the pinnacle of its artistic expression in France during the reign of Louis XIV. This program explores music for solo viol from five generations of French Baroque viola da gamba players who all knew and influenced each other—but who did not always agree! Join Dr. Brady Lanier, in re-discovering l’art de toucher la basse de viol—the lost art of playing the bass viol, the French way. Featured composers include Nicolas Hotman, De Machy, Sainte-Colombe père et fils, Marin Marais, and Antoine Forqueray.

PROGRAM

Nicolas Hotman (1614–1663):

Ballet (“Skolding Wife” variations)

Gigue

Sieur De Machy (fl. 1680s):

Suite in G Major (from Pièces de Viole, 1685)

Prelude

            Allemande

            Courante

            Sarabande

            Chaconne

Le Sieur de Sainte-Colombe le père (fl. 1658–87; d. by 1700):

Suite in D minor 

Prélude

Allemande

Courante en bourrasque

Marin Marais (1656–1728):

Le Badinage

Les Voix humaines

L’Arabesque

Le Sieur de Sainte-Colombe le fils (fl. 1713):

Tombeau for Le Sieur de Sainte-Colombe le père

[adagio]

            Passage du Styx

            [Charon’s dance]

            dernier Adieu

            désespoir

            Gay

Antoine Forqueray (1672–1745) / Jean-Baptiste-Antoine Forqueray (1699–1782):

La Mandoline