Marchand / Rameau / Rousset Pieces De Clavecin Books I & Ii CD

Today, French Baroque composer and keyboard virtuoso Louis Marchand is perhaps best known as the performer who failed to take up J.S. Bach's challenge for a musical 'duel.' Unfortunately, this colorful legend has overshadowed Marchand's ample gifts as a composer of organ and harpsichord music. Writing in the 'old fashioned' style of d'Anglebert, he employs a profusion of ornaments which enrich the sustaining power of the sound. In contrast, the music of Rameau immediately imposes a new and revolutionary conception of music. Everything here breathes harmony. The discourse is always deliberately clear, favoring transparency over the bombastic effects of a more sensual harpsichord sound. The Donzelague harpsichord that is featured on this disc provides the link between these two seemingly antithetical composers. Donzelague built his instruments in Lyon and both Marchand and Rameau lived in Lyon at different points in their lives. Christophe Rousset explores the connections and contrasts between these giants of the period.

1. Pr?lude 2. Allemande 3. Courante I 4. Courante II 5. Sarabande 6. Gigue 7. Chaconne 8. Gavotte 9. Menuet 10. Pr?lude 11. Allemande 12. 1st Courante 13. Sarabande 14. Gigue 15. Gavotte 16. Menuet I 17. Menuet II 18. V?nitienne 19. La Badine 20. Gavotte 21. Pr?lude 22. Allemande I 23. Allemande II 24. Courante 25. Sarabandes 1 ; 2 26. Gigue 27. V?nitienne 28. Gavotte 29. Menuet