Marais, Marin - Deuxième Livre de pièces de viole, Vol. 3
Jean Louis Charbonnier, viola da gamba
Paul Rousseau, viola da gamba
Mauricio Buraglia, teorbe
Paul Trocellier, harpsichord
"As a true apotheosis in Seventeenth Century pieces for viola de gamba and basso continuo, the "Deuxième Livre de Pièces de Viole" by Marin Marais, published in 1701, remains in the spirit of the great viola players of the Seventeenth Century, but nods in the direction of the aesthetics of Eighteenth Century French baroque. Whilst not reflecting a revolutionary attitude to musical creation, the many pieces which comprise it - no less than 142 - are endowed with inexhaustible melodic magnificence and demonstrate all the explorations of technique regarding the viola de gamba acquired over the course of the Seventeenth Century and its special harmonic character. Marais, who was engaged by King Louis XIV for his extraordinary gifts and was already a renowned musician in the kingdom, dedicated to his viola teacher, Monsieur de Sainte Colombe and his music director, Jean-Baptiste Lully, the two magnificent "Tombeaux" at the end of this "Deuxième Livre" of which this box set presents the last four suites."