Barthold Kuijken, Wieland Kuijken and Robert Kohnen Recital

François Couperin: Premier Concert Royal for flute and basso continuo in G. Marais: Suite for viola da gamba and basso continuo in B minor (deuxième livre, 1701). Leclair: Sonata for flute and basso continuo in C (deuxième livre, 1723). Hotteterre: Suite for flute and basso continuo in E minor (premier livre, 1708). Rameau: Cinquième concert (Pièces de clavecin en concerts, 1741)

Performers Barthold Kuijken (baroque flute); Wieland Kuijken (viola da gamba); Robert Kohnen (harpsichord)
Venue Queen's Hall
Address Clerk Street, Edinburgh
Reviewer Pat Napier

Once again, the morning concert series in the Queen's Hall came up with a stunning performance of early music. The Belgian trio, comprising two of the three renowned Kuijken brothers together with Robert Kohnen at the harpsichord, gave us a ravishing recital of baroque chamber music which also turned out to be a mini-history of the first half of French eighteenth century music. The sound they made was warm, intimate, enthralling and derived from the most sensuous wooden flute and mellow viola da gamba, of the same age as the music itself. French music of this period is very refined, delicate, full of noblesse, is dance-based and setting great store by gestures, rhythms, pastoral idylls, all of which can be seen in the paintings of Watteau, for example.

Bartold & Wieland Kujken

François Couperin, Court musician to the Kings of France for almost forty years, wrote his four Concerts Royaux in the most flexible way, so that they could be played by different instrumental groupings and with a new focus: to underpin French grace with Italian formal discipline and to introduce elements of virtuosity to show off his own talents as a composer, performer and teacher. In this first suite, from the prelude right through to the minuet, Couperin's music evoked exactly this spirit in the most vivid way. Shut your eyes and you could almost smell the perfume and see the dancers swaying and weaving in glittering surroundings, especially during the gavotte.

This was followed by the great suite by Marin Marais for viola da gamba and basso continuo in the evocative key of B minor, truly intimate chamber music played for pleasure rather than for show, haunting music which, when heard, rose above technique and style to grab the heart. This time the dances culminated in his tribute to his dead teacher Lully, in music so intense and heart-rending that we felt that we might be listening to Marais himself grieving. The piece ended in one of these utterly magical suspensions of applause.

Robert Kohnen

Then it was back to listen to another Baroque virtuoso's work: the violinist Leclair, this time writing for the flute and once more using the mix of Italian and French styles.His teacher Corelli's influence was clearly heard in the virtuosity and discipline. Hotteterre's suite looked at another aspect of flute music. This very attractive French piece carried additional names to describe places and people of the day in musical motifs and decorations. Le Départ, for example might have been en bateau judging from the flute and harpischord trills over a continuo sounding somewhat watery.

Finally, Rameau's fifth 'concert' or suite featured the harpsichord as the star instrument, this time with the flute and viol playing continuo. A fine fugue paid compliment to the great viol player Antoine Forqueray before the evocative sound picture swivelled to focus on the ballet dancer Marie-Anne de Cupis de Camargo, then ended with his homage to Marin Marais in bright, brisk humorous music. Was this a truer picture of the man than his deep, intense, atmospheric music suggests? Truly, it was a concert to savour.

© Pat Napier. 29 August 2001