The Versailles Revolution
Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra/Barthold Kuijken
Naxos 8.573868
Total Time:  62:19
Recording:   ****/****
Performance: ****/****

In this, their second release this year on Naxos, the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra explores some lesser-known Baroque repertoire connected to the French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)  Their artistic director, Barthold Kujiken, is a noted early music interpreter and performer.  The music here helps provide aural connections to the influence Lully had on the next generation of Baroque composers, in this case Georg Muffat (1653-1704) and Marin Marais (1656-1728) in pieces composed in the last two decades of the 17^th Century.

The “revolution” of the title refers to the significant changes to opera, the formal codification of the “French” overture structure, and the elevation of the opera orchestra to a more significant role.  These aspects were part of the innovations Lully brought to his work, firmly in place in this opening suite of pieces from his opera, Roland composed the same year that Bach and Handel were born, 1685.  That is important because the dance forms Lully extracted for court performances from these operas (gigue, gavotte, air, march, menuet) would be the grist for the next generation’s orchestral suites.  One cannot help but reach for Bach’s orchestral suites to hear the adaptation of these dances in those works several decades later.  Lully would pull the more popular dance pieces from the opera into these suites that could be performed for dancing.  The seven movements here are all quite delightful dances.  The minor modes tend to point toward the more tragic element of the story which is heightened by the ornamental figurations of French style beautifully executed in these performances.  The overture opens slowly moving eventually to the dotted rhythm patterns that were part of the form.  Also interesting is the concluding chaconne with its intriguing harmonies and engaging thematic development.  Because the pieces come from across the opera, the key centers change which adds to the interest of the work.  The opera was among the last 4 he completed before he stabbed himself in the foot while conducting (in the days when a large stick was pounded on the floor to maintain tempo) and died of gangrene.

The lesser known composer Georg Muffat was born in the Savoy region (now part of France).  He went to Paris around 1663.  It is not quite clear if he actually studied with Lully, but it is possible.  All the same, the work here from his 1698 collection Florilegium secundum certainly suggests modeling on the master composer’s style, if not direct influence.  A French-style overture, five-part string writing, and extended binary forms for the following dances here are all parallel approaches to Lully’s own pieces.  The Nobilis Juventus recorded here is a sort of miniature musical Grand Tour with the movements intending to illustrate various national musical qualities of Spain, Holland, England, Italy, and France.  The ornamental trills here are even more noticeable with the more detailed writing Muffat used.  These are often an important source to then apply similar playing to other works of Lully and composers from the period.  All the same, this is a delightful brief suite of dances.

Marin Marais’ lengthier suite is from his 1696 opera Ariane et Bacchus, one of four tragic operas he composed.  The connection here to Lully is more direct as Marais actually played in Lully’s Versailles court orchestra, and even conducted it on occasion.  He was a noted bass viol teacher and performer even composing a number of works for the instrument.  The suite here falls into line with the other works well providing an additional opportunity to hear the various dances and airs from the opera in these invigorating instrumental interpretations.  Repeated listening allows one to hear how each of the younger composer’s built upon Lully’s achievements and made them their own.  One particularly beautiful moment in the Marais is the lullabye-like sommeil from Act III.

The Indianapolis ensemble is a superb choice to explore this repertoire and the pieces here are all quite exquisite examples of the period.  Articulations are all quite clean and the group seems to move and breath their phrases as a single unit making for some rather exhilarating playing in the faster moments.  But it is really in the lyrical ideas where the music really shines with beauty and just the right touch of emotion.  It is not clear why Naxos has waited so long to release this (the recordings were made back in 2014) but those who enjoy Baroque music and exploring its repertoire will find this a welcome release, especially when coupled with the ensemble’s previous album (The Lully Effect), but this one may be the place to start.

Songs Without Words: Torchsongs Transformed
Les Delices: Debra Nagy, Baroque oboe. Melisande Corriveau, viola da gamba/pardessus de viole.
Eric Milnes, harpsichord.
Navona Records 6195
Total Time:  58:15
Recording:   ****/****
Performance: ****/****

Les Delices is a period instrument group that is noted for their unique programming and discovery of lesser-known music.  They each perform on instruments either from the Baroque, or with modern reconstructions.  Songs Without Words might best be described as a cover album, though in the case of some of the repertoire, the original artists were not captured on tape.  That is because the group has chosen a fascinating blend of jazz standards and Baroque French airs.  It is in the latter where one begins to see the connection in the performance practice of these vocal pieces whose second verse featured elaborate ornamentation, not unlike modern improvisation.

To that end then, the album couples some of the great “songs” of the 17^th Century whose names will be as unfamiliar to jazz aficionados as the 20^th Century songs may be to those who eschew jazz.  The result is a fascinating collection of tuneful melodies that blend surprisingly well and are intelligently programmed.  The transition from one to the other is so effortless that it becomes an enthralling listen.  No sooner has Billy Strayhorn’s “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing” concluded than one realizes the group has moved into a song by Jean-Baptiste de Bousset (17=662-1725), “Pourquoi, Doux Rossignol”.  The arrangements for this Baroque trio help create this gentle sense of the melodic line.  Whether these are played by the oboe or one of the viols, the simplified harpsichord support helps maintain this polished quality.  Of course, this becomes a bit more updated in a rather delightful cover of Patsy Cline’s famous recording of “Crazy” (written by Willie Nelson).  That may be the most borderline humorous moments, but the performance is beautiful and touching with the syncopated, extended harmonies in the harpsichord being a rather delightful shift.  The album is intriguing sequenced as we are treated to one of these modern standards intermingled with some of the songs of the Baroque.  The latter are rare pieces by composer Michel Lambert (1610-1696) who was the first composer to publish some of these airs with basso continuo in 1660.  His footnote, if he is mentioned at all, is as the father-in-law of Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687).  But he was also an important early composer of French opera.  The latter is represented by “Recite de la Beaute” (1664) to represent some of the change in the overtly ornamental style and alternative preferences.  These are alongside songs by Marin Marais (1656-1728), Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), and Jean Chabanceau de la Barre (1633-1678).  All of these composers were known for these air de cour, or air serieux.

What works very well here is that often one of these earlier songs melds effortlessly into a modern one (accomplished with a reduction in the time between tracks).  One only notices, for example, that we are in the 20^th Century once the harmony expands after the opening bars of one of Edith Piaf’s hits, “La Foule”.  The Lennon/McCartney tune “Michelle”, Errol Garner’s “Misty” and additional music by Johnny Mandel and Joseph Kosma’s “Autumn Leaves” fill out the release.  The choices work well for this combination and the interpretations help bring out the soulful quality of the tunes.

Les Delices make a beautiful case for the French repertoire they have chosen.  These are gorgeous melodies with fare more emotional sensibilities than one might expect.  They are performed here with impeccable detail to period technique that communicates the intensity of the emotional music.  One only wishes that the texts of the songs (or title translations) were included to aid the more casual listener.  Whether one is touched by the seeming longing and melancholy, or the glimmers of hope in the Baroque pieces, or the loving renditions of the jazz standards, it is a program that invites repeated listening.

Every once in a while, there are these somewhat crossover type albums where the essence of popular music is distilled into a classier milieu.  Often these albums are winks or nods that the music is not really good enough as it is and needs to be “classed up”.  That is not the case here.  The intent is to better illustrate the way these seemingly disparate periods of music created songs that transcend time and place as they address the universals of love and longing.  To that end, this is one of the finest surprises in Navona’s catalog not to be missed.