Une Douceur violente
Jacques DE GALLOT (c.1625-c.1690)
Pieces in a minor [20:21]
Pierre GALLOT (c.1660-after 1715)
Pieces in g minor [6:27]
Charles MOUTON (1617-c.1699)
Pieces in C [9:47]
Jacques DE GALLOT
Pieces in f minor and C [14:04]
Charles MOUTON
Pieces in a minor [12:27]
Jacques DE GALLOT
Les Plaintes de Psyché [4:58]
Anthony Bailes (lute)
rec. June 2010, Church of St Apollinaire, Bolland, Belgium. DDD
RAMÉE RAM 1104 [68:05]
The booklet of this disc includes a painting of Charles Mouton who
looks like an aristocrat and "exudes an aura of self-assured ease", as
Anthony Bailes writes in his liner-notes. This painting is a good expression
of the position of lutenists in France in the 17th century. The lute was one
of the most respected instruments and their players were at the top of the
musical pyramid, so to speak. Music for the lute also has strong
aristocratic traits. In the first half of the 17th century the members of
the Gaultier (or Gautier) family had set the standard. Composers of later
generations had to measure up to them.
Bailes explains why the music of this period often has a rather
restrained character. He refers to the Burwell lute tutor from c1670 which
documents lute playing in the style of the Gaultiers. Here it is
characterised as "mediocrity", which, according to Bailes, should be
interpreted as "moderation, in the sense of avoiding extremes. Deriving from
the dictates of conformism and controlled ritual so typical of French
culture under Louis XIV, Mouton's music adheres very much to these
doctrines, exhibiting neither violent harmonic surprise nor tasteless shows
of virtuosity". This same restraint often makes it hard for modern audiences
readily to appreciate French music.
The programme of this disc juxtaposes Mouton's music to the oeuvre
of the two Gallots. Jacques de Gallot, although of the same generation as
Mouton, is quite different. He also wrote for three voices and includes more
ornamentation. Harmonically his music is much more adventurous than
Mouton's. Bailes explaines this with the Pieces in a minor which open
the disc. This suite includes some remarkable effects which were quite
unusual at the time. There are striking contrasts between the various
movements, for instance the introverted sarabande La Pièce de huit
heures which is followed by the sparkling canarie Les
Castagnettes. Gallot's compositional style particularly appealed to
non-French players. Bailes mentions here the famous German Bohemian-born
lute player and composer Silvius Leopold Weiss. Gallot therefore can be
considered an important link between the French and German lute schools.
Towards the end of the 17th century the position of the lute was
undermined, especially due to the growing popularity of the guitar. This
also had its effects on the writing of lute music. Composers started to
arrange operatic pieces for the lute, especially from Lully's operas. Bailes
quotes again the Burwell lute tutor which states that "it is a disgrace for
the lute to play country tunes, songs or corants of violins" and "to make
people dance to the lute is improper". The popularity of Lully's operas was
such, though, that lute composers had to give in to modern fashion, and this
explains that the Pieces in C by Mouton include three transcriptions
of fragments from Lully operas. The Pieces in g minor by Pierre
Gallot, Jacques' nephew, consist entirely of Lully transcriptions, except
the opening prelude.
With the confrontation of music by Charles Mouton on the one hand
and the two Gallots on the other Anthony Bailes has created a most
compelling programme. It shows the pinnacle of the lute repertoire in the
second half of the 17th century and limns the stylistic changes that in the
end would lead to the lute's demise. It is a worthy sequel to Bailes'
previous disc at the same label, devoted to the Gaultier family ("Apollon
Orateur"; RAM 0904). Bailes' interpretation is also restrained and has
something aristocratic about it. His playing is extremely transparent which
makes all the voices clearly audible. The Burwell lute tutor states: "[On]
other instruments we sing, but on the lute we speak". That is exactly what
Bailes does, and in a very eloquent manner.
Johan van Veen
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org
https://twitter.com/johanvanveen
A compelling programme of lute music.