Search - Ton Koopman :: Forqueray: Pieces De Viole avec las Basse Continue [Suites 1 & 2]

A Master Violist Playing A Master Violist

Octavius | United States | 10/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Antoine Forqueray was a composer from the French Baroque period who was a disciple of Marin Marais and often played with Francois Couperin. Although seen as arrogant and somewhat vain, no one could deny his genius talent on the viola most of all. Jordi Savall is the undisputed master in performing on the viola da gamba and his specialty is French Baroque works. This is an older album with relatively good sound quality and an outstanding performance by Jordi Savall whose worst performances probably still outmatch the best of players for the viola.



Forqueray's pieces are not the freely expressive works of Sainte-Colombe and Marais and are generally more technical in their requirements. The quasi-improvisations of the earlier composers had become very methodical with the works of Forqueray and Couperin. The two suites are very nice and vary in their movements. Some are rather pensive and melancholic while others are very lively.



This is a great album containing pieces from a somewhat obscure composer. The performance is flawless and exemplary as usual and the sound quality was rather decent for a standard 1978 recording. This is a great work to buy."