It was said that Marais played like an angel, and Forqueray like a devil (Titon du Tillet, I think). Petr here brillantly shows how Forqueray himself might have played it. Plus he is exactly following what Forqueray wrote in matters of dynamics and character (always mixed by Forqueray in his suites). The first time I saw this video, I thought that Petr was/is definitely a master in playing what I currently can't (technique: have you seen his use of the pinky?) but want! Forqueray's pièces are meant to be played not just with two hands, but with the whole body! Brutal? Yes, but so beautiful! You can hear Petr's finger slam the fingerboard… And I wonder how he would play "Le Tact" by Marais!

Exactly! Forqueray is not for the faint of heart. Also, this "ethereal" rap of the Gamba is really getting old. Petr gives the viol a loud voice. Well done!

***** Hi Jean-Baptiste, just saw that you live in Strasbourg. I've just moved to the Basel area and I wonder, you don't happen to hang out with people who play the gamba or other baroque instruments in a more experimental approach?? Or any kind of cross-over stuff?

+max d. machy Hi there! Very sorry for my belated reply. YES, I do crossover stuff like playing Brazilian Choro on a Solid Body VDG! It's a bit extreme for some people, but I also play and compose my own... I'll be really happy to play with other gamba players out there (which ones? Haha), but I have got really few time. That doesn't mean it can't be done. Ping me if you're around. I'm going to have a lesson w/ Vittorio Ghielmi in Salzburg in the close future, so I could hop to Basel... Let's get in touch and talk. My schedule keeps changing everyday, it's crazy!

***** Hi there, That means you are no longer resident of Stasbourg?

Very sorry for the late reply! I'm still based in Strasbourg, but I travel a lot. We should meet, but not before I have had Petr taught me some things :)

It's a shame so few of his composings have survived to this day. Surely he had composed countless other pieces as great as his pieces de viole.

The composer gave this title to this piece in order to pay tribute to the Couperin, a family of contemporary great French musicians (who were appointed to the organon of Saint-Gervais church in Paris. They lived nearby as indicates an inscription near the entrance of this church (on François Miron street).

Yeah, for sure an archlute. 7 years after the fact I know, but I wish people would stop calling everything with diapason strings a theorbo.

Forqueray famously played "like a devil"… So, why not? Anyway even if there was only one right way to play it, we can't be sure which it would be, so let's be thankful that tallented people try things in such a convincing way! One might prefer Savall's take on this piece, and that is perfectly OK, too.

Eric Tinkerhess he died? When?

Around January 2, 2020.

Damn

😢