Johan Brouwer - Plays Bach, Böhm, Couperin, Forqueray (Taskin Harpsichord) (2014) [TR24][OF]

Bach and the French baroque: The working title of the programme is Bach and the French baroque. L’art de toucher le clavecin by François Couperin (1668-1733) was published in 1716 as a manual for the French style and gives important instructions for playing the harpsichord as regards finger positions and ornamentations. The préludes are written-out improvisations in the style of the Préludes non mésurée.

The Suites of Georg Böhm (1661-1733) were produced in an environment orientated towards France, like the court in German Celle, where the French consort of Duke Georg Wilhelm resided. After her husband’s death, she lived for some years in Lüneburg, where Böhm worked in the Johannis-Kirche. Besides the usual dances, the Suite in F Minor played here contains for instance a French Ciaconne.

Pascal Taskin: The instrument played is a copy built by David Rubio (1979) after an instrument by Pascal Taskin (1769). The original instrument remained in the possession of the Taskin family until 1952, when it passed into the hands of Raymond Russell, founder of the famous Russell Collection in Edinburgh. Taskin had his workshop in Paris as successor to Etienne Blanchet.

The chinoiserie was made by Ann MacTaggert after examples of instruments painted by Gerard Dagly. Dagly (1653-1714) was born in Spa and worked many years for the Prussian court in Berlin. My Rubio instrument was renovated in 2013 by Cornelis Bom (Nieuwolda), who introduced new strings with different measurements and a new intonation.

TRACKLIST

François Couperin (1668-1733)
1. L'art de toucher le clavecin - Premier Prélude 01:15
2. L'art de toucher le clavecin - Troisième Prélude (mesuré ) 01:34
3. L'art de toucher le clavecin - Septième Prélude… 02:43
4. La Superbe ou La Forqueray (fièrement, sans lenteur)

Antoine Forqueray (1671-1745)
5. La Couperin (noblement et marqué ) 05:11
6. La Sylva! (très tendrement) 06:39

Georg Böhm (1661-1733)
7. Suite F mol - Allemande 03:24
8. Suite F mol - Courante 01:25
9. Suite F mol - Sarabande 01:59
10. Suite F mol - Ciacona 03:17

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 -1750)
11. Ricercar a tre voci BWV 1079 07:17
12. French suite c-moll BWV 813 - Allemande 04:02
13. French suite c-moll BWV 813 - Courante 02:32
14. French suite c-moll BWV 813 - Sarabande 04:01
15. French suite c-moll BWV 813 - Air 01:51
16. French suite c-moll BWV 813 - Menuet 02:26
17. French suite c-moll BWV 813 - Gigue 03:11
18. Präludium, Fuge & Allegro Es-Dur BWV 998 11:50