MUSIC IN NEW FRANCE

Mélisande Corriveau, viola de gamba
Eric Milnes, harpsichord

Marais, Pièces de viole, book IV (1717): Suite no. 1 in D minor (excerpts) (approx. 12 min.)
Prelude – Allemande – Caprice – Menuet – Gigue la Petite – Rondeau

Marais, Pièces de viole, book IV (1717): Suite no. 2 in D major (excerpts) (approx. 14 min.)
Prelude – Allemande la Familiere – Boutade – Gavotte la Favoritte – Rondeau le Gracieux

Corrette, Les délices de la solitude, op. 20 (c. 1738): Sonata no. 2 (approx. 11 min.)
Allegro – Aria I (Affettuoso) & Aria II – Allegro staccato

F. Couperin, Troisième livre de pièces de clavecin, Ordre XV in A major (1722): “Le dodo, ou l’amour au berceau” (no. 2) (approx. 4 min.)

Under the French Regime in New France, the works of the greatest French composers were performed at the residence of the colony’s Intendant, Claude-Thomas Dupuy. An educated music-lover, Dupuy governed from 1726 to 1728, and it is reported that he performed music by Marin Marais and François Couperin during evening entertainments. Wind back the clock to New France and the sound of the viola da gamba and harpsichord with these two exceptional musicians!