Guillemain

Guillemain: Flute Quartets Op.12

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

Louis-Gabriel Guillemain: Flute Quartets Op.12 (1743)
Fantasticus, Wilbert Hazelezet
Resonus Classics,  RES10222. 2CDs, 44’13+44’44

Louis-Gabriel Guillemain (1705-1770) was a French composer and violinist. He started his violin studies in Paris and later studied in Italy. By 1729, Guillemain was working in Lyons and was soon appointed the first violinist of the Acadèmie de Musique. His Premier livre de sonates was published in 1734. Guillemain moved back to Paris becoming a musicien ordinaire to Louis XV and before long became one of the court’s highest-paid musicians. The Six sonates en quatuors ou conversations galantes for flute, violin, bass viol and continuo recorded here was published in 1743, when he was at the height of his career. Continue reading →

Sonatas for two violins

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson

Sonatas for two violins
Johannes Pramsohler, Roldán Bernabé
Audax ADX13714. 63’04

Louis-Gabriel GUILLEMAIN Sonata in d minor, Op4.2
Jean-Marie LECLAIR Sonata in B flat, Op12.6
Jean-Pierre GUIGNON Les Sauvages, Tendrement, La Fustemberg Op8
Nouvelles variations des Folies d’Espagne Op9
Étienne MANGEAN (c1710-c1756 Sonata in g minor, Op3.6

Johannes Pramsohler and the Audax record company are a busy lot, issuing a steady stream of recordings, all of which are gems. Here is another one, this time with 18th-century music for two violins. These are true duets, with no bass line or other instrumental involvement. A rather unusual repertoire but well worth recording and hearing. Playing on violins dating from 1713 and 1748, Johannes Pramsohler and Roldán Bernabé achieve a remarkable cohesion of tone and of playing. It is sometimes difficult to believe there are two people playing, such is the balance between them. Continue reading →

Conversations

~ Andrew Benson-Wilson ~ Leave a comment

Conversations
Nevermind
Alpha 235. 74’09

Quentin: Concerto a 4 parties, oeuvre XII; Quatuor; Sonata III, oeuvre XV; Sonata IV a 4 parties, oeuvre VIII; Trio Sonata 5, oeuvre X
Guillemain: Sonata no.3, 1er livre; Sonata no.4, 2eme livre 

Nevermind: Conversations | Alpha ALPHA235Nevermind is a rather quirkily named group of four musicians (Anna Besson, flute, Louis Creac’h, violin, Robin Pharo, viola da gamba, Jean Rondeau, harpsichord) who met while studying at the Conservatoire Supérieur National de Paris (CNSM). They share an interest in early music, jazz and traditional music. In 2014, they won the Special Price of the Van Wassenaer Competition in Utrecht. They take their name from a quotation by the 19th century poet, Musset – “To love is what counts, never mind who the partner is! Never mind the bottle as long as it makes us drunk”.  In this, their debut CD, they present the music of two little-known French composers, Jean-Baptiste Quentin (1705-1770) and Louis-Gabriel Guillemain (c1690-c1750).

Jean-Baptiste Quentin (c1690-c1750) was a violinist and viola player in the Académie Royale de Musique and at the Paris Opéra. He was Continue reading →