Description
The first complete recording of Louis-Gabriel Guillemain (1705-1770) Second livre de sonates en quatour, oeuvre XVII, performed by Ensemble La Francaise.
"A man full of fire, genius and vivacity", Guillemain was "the fastest and most extraordinary violinist" at Louis XV's court. He left a fairly extensive body of work consisting of eighteen instrumental opus numbers full of the most striking beauties. His Op.17, Conversations galantes et amusantes, consists of six sonatas in four parts – melodically inspired pieces showing a creative and complex approach to rhythm.
Along with Telemann, Boismortier and Quentin, Guillemain was one of the Baroque composers who sketched out the beginnings of this new genre: the quartet, which was to experience a tremendous boom in the Classical and Romantic periods.
On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of Guillemain's death, the ensemble "La Française" invites you to discover the world premiere of this beautiful opus 17 in its entirety. This music fuses a mastery of the 'affects', contrasts and sense of movement characteristic of the Baroque with all the fantasy, delicacy and refinement of French Rococo art.