Program note: Concert with Paolo Pandolfo Ensemble

Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe (late 17th century)

Prélude

Allemande

Courante

Sarabande

Chaconne

In this concert we make the acquaintance of a niche in French music history – the virtuoso viola da gamba which flourished in le grand siècle, the name often given to the 17th century, in particular the reign of Louis XIV. A line may be traced from Nicholas Hotman (d. 1663) to his pupil Saint-Colombe, who in turn taught Marais, and to the Forquerays – the elder and the younger – who brought the school to its culmination. Marais and Forqueray the elder were musicians to the court of Louis XIV and Forqueray the younger followed in his father’s footsteps in the court of Louis XV.

We do not know the Christian name of the first composer on the programme, as he is only ever referred to in written sources as Monsieur Saint-Colombe. He died before 1701, the year in which Marais published a tribute to his memory. Saint-Colombe is credited with the introduction of the seven-stringed viola da gamba with overspun strings and for the development of advanced left hand technique and a cantabile playing style. His pieces form an important link between the experimental compositions of Hotman and the fully developed expression of Marais and the Forquerays.

Marin Marais is considered the central figure of the French viola da gamba school. He spent his entire life in Paris, most of it in royal service. It is said that he received tuition from Saint-Colombe for no more than half a year before his skills exceeded those of his master. Marais also studied composition with Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632–1687), and was involved in performances of his operas. He became a court musician in 1676 and remained in royal service until 1725, when he retired, passing on his post to his son Vincent.

Marais composed four operas and instrumental music for a variety of ensembles, but his most important works are the five collections of pieces for viola da gamba, published between 1686 and 1725. They contain over 550 compositions for one, two or three viols and continuo. Most are organised in suites of seven to forty movements. Many are character pieces with non-musical references (the best-known is Le tableau de l’opération de la taille, which describes in detail a bladder-stone operation, probably undergone by Marais himself without the benefit of modern-day anaesthesia).

His prolific compositions – more than any other composer for the instrument – and his own virtuoso performing skills brought Marais fame well beyond the borders of France. The variety of styles and breadth of expression in his works make them a highlight of literature for the viola da gamba.

In spite of Marin Marais’s reputation, musicologists assert that the French heyday of the viola da gamba reached its zenith with the collection published by Jean-Baptiste Forqueray in 1747. It contained some thirty pieces composed by his father Antoine and himself. The titles of the pieces on tonight’s programme indicate an attempt to describe personalities in music. Jean-Baptiste Forqueray made greater use of the potential of the viol than his predecessors had, and recorded details of a number of finesses used in the performance of the day.

The relationship between father and son was far less congenial than might be assumed from the common publication. Forqueray the elder was envious of his son’s clearly greater talent, and arranged first for him to be jailed (!) and subsequently banished from the country by royal decree. However, pupils and friends prevented the father’s wild ideas from being put into action.

TEXT: HANS H. ROWE