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Be drawn into the seductive soundworld of the 18th century French Aristocracy...
Amusements Champêtres
By the 18th century, the fashion of
Amusements Champêtres
was all the rage amongst the French nobility. These Amusements Champêtres
were a type of outdoor recreational event where the courtiers would play at being shepherds in
Arcadia: the courtiers imagined or possibly even believed that the shepherds in Arcadia in ancient
mythology used to play the musette, flute, or other 'pastorale' woodwind instruments,
so by singing and dancing with these instruments they felt themselves to be
recreating their own little piece of Arcadia.
In the minds of the people of this time, these woodwind instruments, (especially the
bagpipes) were also a symbol of eroticism and fertility, thus many of the verses
written for musette songs sung at the (to our minds somewhat naïve)
Amusements Champêtres had a definite
sexual innuendo.
The mode for pastoral music
These popular pastoral scenes were used in ballet and operas - as the
orchestra played the pastoral scene in the operas, these "Arcadian" strains
must have set hearts fluttering with excitement as memories of the
Amusements Champêtres were surely evoked!
Tickets were at £17.50 single, £30 for a pair, or £50 for 4
Flexicoupons:
Programme
Jean-Baptiste Lully
b Florence 1632; d Paris, 1687 |
Lully, an Italian of humble origins, became the most powerful and influential musician
in France during the reign of Louis XIV. His enormous talents as violinist, composer, and
dancer as well as an extraordinary personality enabled him to achieve this incredible feat.
| Passacalia from Armide |
4 |
Jacques(-Martin) Hotteterre ['le Romain']
b Paris, 1673; d Paris, 1763 |
The most celebrated musician of a long and brilliant line of French woodwind players
and composers. Hotteterre worked alongside Lully at the court of Louis XIV, and published the first
treatise on Flute playing. His family included instrument makers who finalised the design the flute,
oboe, and musette in the 18th century. These instruments were particulary fashionable at the
time because of the prevailing fascination for pastoral themes as protrayed in paintings
by Jean-Antoine Watteau, (1684-1721)and his circle. |
echos
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3 |
Marin Marais
b Paris, 1656; d Paris, 1728 |
His teacher was the famous bass viol player Sainte-Colombe (featured in the movie
'Tous les Matins du Monde'). He is said to have surpassed his teacher after six
months, so that soon (by about 1675) he was playing in the Opéra orchestra
in Paris. Thanks to Lully, director of the Opéra, he
pursued his instrumental career there from 1679 as an ordinaire of the musique
de la chambre du roi. |
La sonnerie de St. Geneviève du Mont de Paris |
10 |
Marin Marais
b Paris, 1656; d Paris, 1728 |
Marais was the most famous gambist of his generation, and he mastery and consumate musicianship
can be appreciated in these character pieces. |
from 'Suitte de goût d'un étranger
Fêtes Champêtres
| 4.30 |
François Couperin [le grand]
b Paris, 1668; d Paris, 1733 |
Composer, harpsichordist and organist. He is the most important member
of the Couperin dynasty. He wrote some of the finest music of the French
classical school, and may be reckoned the most important musical figure
in France between Lully and Rameau. |
Rossignol en amour |
2.40 |
Georg Philipp Telemann
b Magdeburg, 1681; d Hamburg, 1767
| An international composer of great renown. Although German by birth, he travelled
extensively in Italy and France and adopted their musical syntax
to create his own unique style. He published his 'Nouveau Quattuors in Paris in 1720
to great aclaim, and his skill of catering to the French taste is as great as the pure
genius of the compositions. |
Nouveau Quattuor No. 1 |
20 |
Realm of Music presents:
French Perfection
Sunday 30th January 2005
St. Albans Town Hall
Afternoon tea and buns from 4pm
Concert: 4.30 - 5. 45pm
Wine and cheese reception with the musicians
The event will begin with a tea/coffee and buns served in the vestibule.
You and your guests will then be ushered through to the Hall,
to enjoy an hour of masterful 18th century music performed on original instruments,
in a beautiful space ideally suited to this intimate and extraordinary music.
During the concert, you can sit back and let the
musicians guide you through the music, with brief and friendly
introductions to the pieces.
Every person who enters the Realm of Music also receives a 'listening
pack' specifically tailored to the event. A concept unique to Realm of
Music, this package of colourful cards presented in an attractive
graphical format, can help you enjoy the music even more by showing
you what to listen out for.
The post-concert reception presents an ideal setting for socializing as well as
a great chance to meet up with the musicians and
other people involved in creating this unique event.
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