Arts & Events

On Friday evening, August 7, American Bach Soloists kicked off at San Francisco Conservatory of Music a festival dedicated to the music of the court at Versailles. This music, which ABS designates as The Parisian Baroque, was composed and performed at the court of French kings Louis XIII, Louis XIV, and Louis XV. In 1626 Louis XIII officially established an ensemble of the finest string players in the land called Les Vingt-quatre Violons du Roi. These violinists, violists, and cellists would on occasion be joined by the king’s wind and brass ensemble, La Grande Écurie, and together these ensembles would join the orchestra of the opera. A bit later, under the direction of the Italian-born composer Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687), French musicians at Versailles created a unique sound combining detailed ensemble control, a lightness of sonority, and a graceful reliance on dance structures. Louis XIV, one might recall, was enormously fond of ballet, and he went on stage as a ballet dancer at age 13, subsequently favoring dance music throughout his long reign as king.  

At their opening concert of this Versailles Festival, ABS began with a marvelous work by Jean-Baptiste Féry Rebel, Les Élemens: Symphonie Nouvelle. In this work, Rebel, who lived from 1666 to 1747, set himself the task of writing music to depict the creation of the world from initial chaos to the sorting out of the elements of earth, water, air, and fire. At the outset, Chaos is represented by a shocking chord, which resounds emphatically and is subsequently repeated several times in this work’s opening movement. In a written Preface, Rebel stated that the Bass repre-sents the Earth by its slurred notes and tremolo; the Flutes represent the melodious murmur of Water; Air is represented by Flutes, Oboes, and Horns; and Fire is re-presented by flashes from the Violins. After each of these elements is given its full development, the work utilizes familiar French dance movements to represent the stately calm and order of the created world. Louis XIV much appreciated the originality of Rebel’s music. 

Led by their Music Director Jeffrey Thomas, ABS next performed Suite II in D Major by Jacques Aubert le Vieux. Aubert, who lived from 1689 to 1753, became principal violinist at the Paris Opera in 1728. In his Suite II in D Major, Aubert explores different dance structures such as rondeaux, sarabandes, rigaudons, menuets, gavottes, and a closing chaconne. Each dance movement shines forth with crystal clarity, but the overall effect is one of sameness in diversity. 

After intermission, ABS returned to play the Ouverture and Suite from Nais : Opéra pour la Paix by Jean-Philippe Rameau. Nais, which premiered at Paris Opera in 1749, deals with the amorous intentions of the god Neptune for the water-nymph Nais. The ouverture strikes a forceful note with frequent use of the timpani. Next comes a tender Musette delicately featuring violins, flutes, oboes, and bassoons. Two Menuets follow, then two lively Tambourins featuring the timpani, Another Musette is heard, delivered in a slow, stately rhythm. Then a Sarabande is played, creating a mysterious air. This is followed by a ceremonial Entrée majestueuse de Dieux representing the arrival on stage of the gods. Next come two Gavottes, the first lively and the second light and airy. These movements give way to two Rigaudons featuring much use of the tambourine. The work concludes with an Entrée des Lutteurs, a Chaconne, and an Air de Triomphe. The entire work offers a wonderful diversity of dance rhythms all brilliantly developed by Rameau’s musical sensibility. Along with Lully, Rameau may be considered the pinnacle of the Parisian Baroque, composers who made Versailles one of the musical centers of Europe. My only criticism of Jeffrey Thomas, who is responsible for the selection of works performed in this ABS Versailles Festival, is that he failed to include in any of the concerts even a single work by Jean-Baptiste Lully, who presided over all musical affairs at the court of Louis XIV from his appointment as Maître de Musique of the Royal Family in 1662 until his death in 1687, thereby setting French music on a path whose unique characteristics are still much in evidence today. 

ABS continues its Versailles Festival through August 14. Featured on Thursday-Friday, August 13-14, are two performances of the opera Sémélé by Marin Marais, an opera never before presented outside of France. The life and music of Marin Marais were featured in the 1991 film Tous les Matins du Monde. All performances are at San Francisco Conservatory of Music