 Amateurs de beau clavecin, ouvrez vos oreilles et affûtez votre écoute pour découvrir cet intéressant CD consacré à deux figures moins connues du répertoire de clavecin. Maillons intermédiaires entre les clavecinistes français du XVIIème et ceux du XVIIIème siècle, Clérambault (1676-1749) et Marchand (1669-1732), tous deux issus de lignées de musiciens, ont connu des destins bien différents. Le premier, sage artisan et courtisan, est resté proche des cercles du pouvoir (notamment de Mme de Maintenon). Le second, organiste connu et apprécié de J.S. Bach, a vécu une vie mouvementée en raison d’un caractère difficile. Leur musique reflète cette différence de personnalité, celle de Clérambault proche de la tradition et flatteuse pour les oreilles contemporaines, celle de Marchand plus surprenante et épicée, annonçant déjà les harmonies pimentées et les envolées virtuoses du baroque tardif. Le claveciniste espagnol Yago Mahùgo sert cette musique du Grand Siècle avec sincérité et authenticité : clavecin flamand (au son caractéristique légèrement « pincé »), articulation déliée, contrastes raffinés, belle expressivité, prise de son avantageuse. La dégustation comparée de ces deux musiciens est très plaisante. (Benoît Desouches) Straddling the divide between the early French harpsichordists, such as Chambonnières and D’Anglebert, and the later masters of the genre – Couperin ‘Le Grand’, Rameau and Duphly – composers of this inbetween period have in the past been sadly neglected. This release, featuring the complete published harpsichord music of Louis-Nicolas Clérambault and Louis Marchand, who flourished at the turn of the 18th century, reverses that trend, highlighting the fascinating developments taking place in French harpsichord music of the time. Clérambault was better known for his secular cantatas and organ music, but his sole publication for harpsichord, the Livre de pièces de clavecin, reveals a composer highly adept at writing for the keyboard instrument too. Each of the two suites is divided into ten dance movements, all remarkably diverse. The C major Suite contains a lively Allemande and Gavotte, each followed by a Double, which elaborates on the original. The two Sarabandes are darker in tone, marked ‘fort grave’ and ‘gravement’ respectively. The C minor Suite is also more serious, with some surprising dissonances occurring in the Sarabande. Marchand, too, proves himself to be a thoughtful composer: his Suite in D minor is among the finest of the period, particularly the splendid, introspective Chaconne. In contrast, La Vénitienne is an exuberant, lively piece, short but perfectly formed. Spanish performer Yago Mahúgo has already released a highly-acclaimed album on Brilliant Classics comprising Royer’s complete harpsichord music (BRIL94479); Arkiv Music called it a ‘fine disc, which one would be proud to have in their collection’, and it was selected as CD of the Month in Spanish magazine Scherzo. Yago Mahúgo is founder and conductor of Ímpetus Madrid Baroque Ensemble, which has performed at some of the leading Spanish festivals, as well as concert halls nationwide.
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