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WILBERT HAZELZET traverso flute GERARD DE WIT harpsichord
Joseph Bodin De Boismortier
6 Flute Sonatas Op.91
This CD recording features three protagonists: Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, Michel Blavet and…the harpsichord. In the French chamber music from the XVIIth and the XVIIIth century, the role of the harpsichord was generally the accompanying and improvising one, being the harmonic component of the basso continuo group. Even then, however, some composers, for instance, Michel de la Barre in 1700, think that the instrument is too overpowering and prefer to see it replaced by the “much more subtile”, gut stringed lute. The obbligato soloist role of the harpsichord hardly occurs in the official repertory before the 1730th. The most original “Dialogues” for harpsichord and viola da gamba ensemble, written in 1683 by Jean-Nicholas Geoffroy, deserve to mentioned in this context. In 1705 Gaspard Le Roux publishes harpsichord pieces, adding a scored version at the bottom of the pages, thus suggesting a performance by either two treble instruments and figured bass or by two harpsichords, but why would they not have been played by a solo harpsichord and a completing tremble instrument…. When looking through the works by François Couperin we find examples of similar scoring in the Pièces de Clavecin and elsewhere, e.g. in the Concerts Royaux, additional countermélodies, contreparties, to what also may be used as a mere solo harpsichord score. Jean Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville presents his Opus III, Pièces de Clavecin en Sonates for obbligato harpsichord and violin accompaniment in 1734; they are followed in 1738 by the peculiar Opus V, a series of most remarkable and elaborate harpsichord pieces with an additional part fort violin, even enriched by a vocal part, changing them into solo-motets on Latin texts. The composer recommends violin and voice to lower their volume to the force of the keyboard in order to leave it its primordial role! In 1740 Michel Corrette surprises us with a set of Sonatas Opus XXV for 2
harpsichord obbligato and violin, later in his next Opus XXVI, VI (double) Concerti even adding to the harpsichord-flute combination a five part orchestra. This happens just before Jean-Philippe Rameau launches in 1741 his unique and most astonishing “Pièces de Clavessin en Concert” for harpsichord surrounded by a violin or flute and a viola da gamba or a second violin. And then, in 1972, we eventually see appear Joseph Bodin de Boismortier’s Sonates Opus LXXXI, six sonatas for harpsichord obbligato and flute, certainly inspired by the previous examples and dedicated, by means of a touching poem, to his friend and colleague, Michel Blavet, the star flautist of the era. From the seventeen forties of the XVIIth century, writing ensemble music for the harpsichord as a obbligato instrument apparently will become more usual; the repertoire is not really abundant though… Around 1756 Jacques Duphly adds a violin part to the harpsichord pieces in his 3ième Livre, before Jean Schobert turns this style into a habit and fashion around 1760. This survey shows the exceptional significance of Boismortier’s 1742 Op.91 compositions. They express the advanced fusion of the Italian and French national musical styles, that, after all the turn of the century musical controversies, open minded François Couperin initiated and defended in his later works, according to the concept of “Les Goûts Réunis”. Their content still seems to aim at the fidelity to the old French artistical ideal of “Flatter l’oreille”, pleasing the ear and avoiding to overwhelm, astonish and shock the public with extreme effects, as the Italians used to love doing. On the contrary soothing sweetness, amusing liveliness and caressing tenderness characterize this mixed style, providing good moods and wellbeing to an easy listening audience in a politically stressed era. They display new aspects of virtuosic harpsichord technique and a multiple variety in the cooperation between harpsichord and flute, reaching sparkling interaction and character oppositions in the dialogues, renewed mixtures of sound colours in sometimes almost abstract motif structures and reciprocal completion in chord writing. 3
Born in Thionville and after a career start in southern Perpignan between 1713 and 1722, Joseph Bodin de Boismortier, as so many musicians of his – and even our! – days –, joins the musical world of Paris, gaining his position and reputation by hard work with prolific results and leaving us a most diverse œuvre as for genre, instrumentation and level. Its accessibility and lightness already during his lifetime were not always appreciated, as we smilingly can read in the 1747 Nouvelles Littéraires by L’Abbé Raynal. In Paris Boismortier certainly has been in touch with the foremost performers of the Concerts Spirituels: Louis Aubert, Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, JeanBaptiste Senaillé, Jean-Marie Leclair and Michel Blavet. Of the latter two, each other’s close colleagues, he must have heard the brilliant performances, given in the, now disappeared, Château des Tuileries over the years between 1728 and 1745 as part of these Concerts Spirituels series, and consistently raved about in reviews of The Mercure de France newspaper. These glorious moments must have inspired him to develop his friendship with and admiration for the internationally renowned flute player.
and giving it a new, firy, lightning like, even funky impulse! (The comparison with a Jean-Pierre Rampal, James Galway, Trevor Wye or Julius Baker’s achievements during last century seems almost inevitable….) No wonder that Joseph Bodin de Boismortier had this man in mind, creating these Six Sonates Op.91! © Th. Coldwell
Growing up in provincial Besançon, in Doubs region, this autodidact Michel Blavet impresses Paris with his playing, distinguished by its purity of taste and the dignity of declamation (!), as Hubert le Blanc points out in his 1740 Défense de la Viole. This author also praises Blavet’s flexible and judiciously applied breath control, creating a well-shaped, wonderfully voice imitating cantabile, with a round, velvety tone, so fitted for the French simple melodies. He also mentions Blavet’s innovating introduction of arpegeggio techniques into the Italianizing passages and the entertaining creativity of his ornamental inventions. Le Mercure de France qualifies Blavet’s art as perfect and precise, charming and affectionate. In 1740, writing his poeme “Les Dons des Enfants de Latone”, Séré de Rieux represents Blavet as the divine renovator of the flute music, saving it from languor 4
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Wilbert Hazelzet started his career in 1972 in Musica Antiqua Amsterdam (Marie Leonhardt); he has been principal flautist of The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (Ton Koopman) from 1978. He was member of Musica Antique Köln until 1985; with Ensemble Sonnerie London and Cantus Coelln he performed until 1995. Apart from his recitals with Jacques Ogg and lutenist Joachim Held, Hazelzet is a frequent guest in The Lyra Baroque Orchestra Minneapolis, Camerata Kilkenny, Passamezzo Antiguo, Bilbao and Musica Amphion, Netherlands. Erato France, Die Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft – Archiv Hamburg, edelClassics Berlin, Harmonia Mundi Germany, Philips, Harlekijn and Globe Holland, Virgin-EMI London and Glossa Music Spain published Hazelzet’s recordings. Hazelzet teaches at the Conservatories of The Hague and Utrecht; his masterclasses take place at the universities of Salamanca, Granada, Seville, Vancouver, London and Minneapolis.
Gerard de Wit, organist and harpsichordist, is both founder and artistic leader of the Dutch Baroque Foundation. He was born in the Dutch city of Dordrecht in 1985. During the season of 2006/2007 he studied singing and choir conducting at the IDEcollege in Gorinchem, Holland. Subsequently, Gerard studied organ at the Rotterdam Conservatory with Bas de Vroome and Bernard Winsemius as his teachers, and received his Bachelor’s Degree (DM) in June 2010. With them he also studied for his minor degree in Basso Continuo. At the Royal Conservatory in The Hague he studied harpsichord with Ton Koopman and Tini Mathot, from whom he received his Bachelor’s Degree in May 2011. His Master Study harpsichord at the Royal Conservatory was finished in 2013, his final grade being a 9. In September 2014, Gerard started his organ master study with Ton Koopman at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. During his studies Gerard published his research: ‘J.P Sweelinck and his instrumental music’. He also researched J.S. Bach’s incomplete cantata 188, of which 6
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he reconstructed the Symphony based on the harpsichord concerto BWV1052. During his final examination this harpsichord concerto was performed as well. Next to his studies, Gerard took part in several master classes under, amongst others, Jan Hage, Lutger Lohman and Thomas Trotter. He studied Basso Continuo with Patrick Ayrton and Kathryn Cok, Historical Documentation with Peter van Heyghen and Capita Selecta with Ton Koopman at the University of Leiden. In 2003 Gerard won both the first prize and the audience award at a composing competition. He regularly publishes choir- and organ scores. In 2011 he issued a CD with self-written choral scores, completed with vocal scores, volume 2 of this CD to be issued in October 2013. Gerard de Wit was the founder and artistic leader of Camerate Musicale, a chamber choir which aimed at programming well-known and especially lesser known music from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. In 2014, Camerate Musicale was merged into the Dutch Baroque Vocal Consort. As a church organist, Gerard is committed to the Oude Kerk (‘Old Church’) in Zwijndrecht, Holland. www.dutchbaroque.nl www.gerarddewit.nl
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À Mercure
At Mercure
Toi que l’Éloquence appuya Dès le sein même de Maia, Et dont la langue Enchanteresse Persuade avec tant d’adresse, Ambassadeur officieux De celui qui préside aux Cieux, Au nom de cette ardente flamme Qu’Hersé fit naître dans ton Âme, Daigne quitter pour quelques temps Et l’Olympe et ses Habitans, Et muni de ton Caducée, Va, plus vîte que ma pensée Offrir à BLAVET de ma part, Ce nouvel Essai de mon Art
You, whom Eloquence supported from the very moment Maia’s breast has been cherishing you and whose beguiling speech convinces so cunningly; you, officiating Representant of Heaven’s President; please, in the name of this burning love which Hersé created in your soul, be so kind to leave for a few moments the Olympus as well as its Inhabitants and go, provided with your Wand and faster than my thoughts – presenting to BLAVET, on my behalf, this new Output of my Art.
Toi qui sais, quel talent aimable Rend ce Phœnix recommandable Dis-lui que les sons ravissants Dont il pénètre tous les sens Me sont, pour ces traits de Musique, Des garants de la voix publique, Que si l’inconstance sur nous N’a point encore porté ses coups, Il les recoive comme un gage De l’Amitié qui nous engage, Que désirant qu’un sort heureux Favorise à jamais ses vœux, Je serai toujours avec zèle, BOISMORTIER, son Ami fidèle.
You, who know what lovely talent makes this Phenix so attractive, tell him please, that the delighting sounds with which he imbues every sense, guarantee to me the public rendering of these musical sketches; may he if the uncertainty about the friendship that connects us has not yet hit us, receive them as a token of it. (Please tell him also) that, I, BOISMORTIER, wishing him good luck to favour for ever his aspirations, shall do my utmost to stay his true friend. 9
Also available on Brilliant Classics
Abel Music for Flute and Strings 94304 1CD
De Visée La Musique de la Chambre du Roy, vol.1 94437 1CD 10
C.P.E. BACH Complete Solo Flute Sonatas 94323 2CD
Hotteterre Complete Trio Sonatas Op.3 D’Anglebert Harpsichord Transcriptions from Lully 94761 1CD
Recording: September 2014, Oude Kerk Zwijndrecht, The Netherlands Production: Stichting Dutch Baroque, Johanneke de Wit and Maarten Elzinga Sound Engineer: Anton Visser Editing: Maarten Elzinga Artists photo: Marco Reedijk - & © 2015 Brilliant Classics
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