This preview has been provided by Carolina Pro Musica.
Carolina Pro Musica with John Pruett, baroque violin, presents Paris au Printemps, Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 8:00 pm in St. Martin Episcopal Church, 1510 E. 7th St, Charlotte NC 28204. Tickets are $16 regular admission, $8.00 for students and seniors. Tickets are available in advance through www.carolinapromusica.org or at the door.
The French call the reign of Louis XIV (1648-1715) the grand siècle and the period that follows with Louis XV the siècle de lumières (enlightenment). The French court set the tone with Louis XIV but with Louis XV Paris dictated the fashion. Towns, small or large, tried, in some way, to copy Paris. Paris was known for its many organist/ composers, its four major theaters and the new Concert Spirituel at the Tuileries palace.
French music with its unequal rhythmic style was different from that of Europe. Slowly the French came to embrace much of the Italian style with a uniting of both the French and Italian. Paris au Printemps focuses on music by LeClair, Jacquet de la Guerre, Morel and Clerambault who were active in the time of Louis XIV and into that of Louis XV.
LeClair was considered to be the founder of the French violin school. A dancer, he studied violin in Turin, Italy before coming to Paris. He successfully drew upon all of Europe’s national styles in his compositions.
Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre was one of the first woman composers known to history, as well as the most renowned, and prolific, of the many female composers of the Baroque era. Born into a musical family, she made her debut at age five at the court of Louis XIV. Her Book I of the Pièces de clavessin was published in 1687. Later works included violin sonata and chamber works. The trio in D major on our program reflects her interest in the Italian style as promoted by Corelli.
Louis-Nicholas Clérambault was born into a musical family. His father was one of Louis XIV’s twenty-four violins. Clérambault studied organ and composition in Paris was organist at several Paris churches including St. Sulpice. His earliest publications were for keyboard. In 1710 his first book of Cantatas was published. This collection proved to be popular leading him achieve the title of the uncontested master of the French cantata. We feature his cantata L’Ile de Délos in which the goddess of harmony is able to combine wisdom with pleasure. Published in 1716, this work includes recitatives in the French style, but arias in the prevailing Italian tradition. The instrumental introductions or simphonies show a mastery of the Italian instrumental style.
Little is known about the French gambist and composer Jacques Morel who was active in Paris between 1700-1740. He was a pupil of Marin Marais, to whom he dedicated his first volume of pieces for the viol in 1709.
All works on our program were published in Paris between 1707 and 1728. They demonstrate the combining of French and Italian styles within the same compositions. Join Carolina Pro Musica for the blossoming of new ideas. Musically, Paris was the place to be.
