Le Clavecin A Paris Au Xviiie Siecle

Description

On this collection of three albums, Jos van Immerseel performs the music by seven masters of 18th century Paris on three historical harpsichords - some of the finest jewels in the Musee de la musique of Philharmonie de Paris: Jean-Henri Hemsch harpsichord, 1761; Ruckers-Taskin harpsichord, 1646/1780; Goujon harpsichord, 1749, restored by Swanen in 1784. Jos van Immerseel, who reappears on Channel Classics Records where he released his first recordings in the 1990s, pays homage to some of the composers who have accompanied him since the beginning of his prestigious career as a harpsichordist. The composers featured on these albums are often mentioned in the same breath, yet each has their own and completely unique style. In Jos van Immerseel's words: "Louis Marchand has whimsical and surprising turns, Francois Couperin is known for musical regality, Jean-Philippe Rameau portrays theatrical and folk influences, Antoine Forqueray speaks a daring language of the devil's gamba, Jacques Duphly makes the harpsichord sing, Claude Balbastre is a revolutionary challenger, and Armand-Louis Couperin wavers between brilliance and parting pain".