“La Leclair” by Antoine Forqueray

La Leclair
By Antoine Forqueray (1672-1747)
Sarah Biber, Viola da Gamba
Jeffrey Noonan, Theorbo & Baroque Lute
Audio courtesy Barry Hufker
Videography by Pat Weaver
Early Music Missouri kicked off its 2023-2024 season with a concert featuring string music from the French court. The concert included a number of virtuosic viola da gamba solos performed by Sarah Biber. EMMo’s Director Jeffrey Noonan accompanied Sarah on theorbo.
The nearly three dozen works in Antoine Forqueray’s 1747 publication “Pièces de viol, avec la Basse-Continue” collection are quite progressive, reflecting a style more characteristic of the music of Jean-Philippe Rameau or Jean-Marie Leclair. Reflecting mid-century French tastes, this collection features character pieces with titles that suggest an affect or describe a particular person. The virtuosic “La Leclair” probably refers to the well-known violinist, Jean-Marie, but some scholars argue that Forqueray dedicated it to Leclair’s wife, who typeset the publication.

[@unquietthoughts]

Great!

[@careymorrowmusic]

Fantastic!