Le Plaintif Erik Bosgraaf & Cordevento

• Marin Marais (1656 - 1728):
• 1 Prélude in G Minor 02:17
• 2 Plainte in G Minor 03:05
• Jean-Henry d'Anglebert (1629 - 1691):
• 3 Prélude in G Minor 01:46
• 4 Passacaille in G Minor 04:58
• 5 Rondeau tendre le plaintif 03:01
• Marin Marais:
• 6 Sarabande in G Minor 02:34
• 7 Plainte in B-Flat Major 03:38
• Louis-Antoine Dornel (1691 - 1765):
• 8 Ouverture in G Minor 02:31
• 9 Air en loure in G Minor 02:26
• Michel Pignolet de Montéclair (1667 - 1737):
• 10 Plainte in D Minor 03:28
• Francois Campion (1686 - 1747):
• 11 Tombeau in D Minor 03:08
• Louis-Antoine Dornel:
• 12 Prélude in D Minor 02:04
• 13 Allemande in D Minor 02:23
• 14 Plainte in D Minor 02:37
• 15 Passacaille in D Minor 02:24
• Marin Marais:
• 16 Sarabande in C Major 02:21
• Jacques-Martin Hotteterre (1674 - 1763):
• 17 Prélude in E Minor 03:25
• Marin Marais:
• 18 Sarabande en rondeau in E Minor 03:11
• 19 Menuet in E Minor 01:01
• Pierre Danican Philidor (1681 - 1731):
• 20 Suite in E Minor, Op. 1 No. 5: I. Très lentement 02:38
• 21 Suite in E Minor, Op. 1 No. 5: II. Allemande 02:20
• 22 Suite in E Minor, Op. 1 No. 5: III. Sarabande 03:40
• 23 Suite in E Minor, Op. 1 No. 5: IV. Gigue 02:04
• Louis-Antoine Dornel:
• 24 Chaconne in E Minor 03:43
• Total Runtime 01:06:43

Info for Le Plaintif

An ‘illuminating’ series (Fanfare) reaches Volume 9, presenting the complete piano sonatas on instruments of the period.

The French grand siècle is most often viewed through the gilt-framed mirrors of Versailles, showing the pomp and splendour, the feasts and formality of Louis XIV’s reign. However, the composers of his court took special pains to represent and analyse the human condition in all its moods, not least mourning and sadness. The entire aesthetic imaginary of this era is imbued with the power and charm of tears: the audience – in the words of philosopher Bernard de Fontenelle – wants ‘to be moved, agitated, [...] to shed tears. The pleasure one takes in crying is so curious that I cannot help but think about it.’ The aesthetic of sorrow and grief was so powerful that not even instrumental music could resist its charm. Marais, Hotteterre and their contemporaries wrote eloquent examples of the plainte and the tombeau as well as courantes and allemandes which conveyed a sad and lamenting mood, through slow tempos, minor modes dissonance and chromaticism.

It is from this eloquent repertoire that Cordevento, expanded for the occasion to a five-person lineup, has assembled an imaginative programme. The lion’s share is drawn from two collections of suites en trio by Marin Marais and Antoine Dornel, performed by Erik Bosgraaf (recorder) and Robert Smith (treble viola da gamba) with their colleagues Izhar Elias, Israel Golani and Alessandro Pianu (respectively on baroque guitar, theorbo, harpsichord) providing attentive and generous continuo accompaniment. Erik Bosgraaf also takes the spotlight with a selection of pieces for solo recorder and basso continuo by Hotteterre, Philidor and Montéclair, while his Cordevento co-founders Izhar Elias and Alessandro Pianu contribute solo pieces by Campion and d’Anglebert. Cordevento’s previous albums on Brilliant Classics have won international acclaim.

‘Erik Bosgraaf’s recorder-playing is fluent and lively in fast music, and his five colleagues provide accompaniments that are lean, stylish and precise’ (Gramophone, April 2012 – Bach concertos, 94296).

‘As usual with Telemann, the music is jovial and good natured, something that Erik Bosgraaf responds to well. His playing is crisp and articulate, with careful delineation of individual notes, however fast the music’ (Early Music, 2015 – Telemann concertos, 95248).

‘Compelling and stylistically convincing performances of some of Telemann's best works… Erik Bosgraaf, a brilliant and virtuosic player… His colleagues are every inch his equals. This disc has to be ranked among the best in the category of Telemann concertos (Musica dei donum, 2019 – Telemann concertos, 95249)

An intriguing concept album by Cordevento, featuring a selection of intense, sorrowful French instrumental music from the late 17th to early 18th centuries.

The aesthetic of sorrow and grief is so powerful that not even instrumental music can resist its charm. Not only ‘specialized’ musical forms (such as the plainte and the tombeau), but more common ones (preludes, allemandes, sarabandes and passacailles among others) are capable of expressing a sad and lamenting mood, through a combination of expressive stylistic elements such as slow tempos, minor modes, a widespread use of dissonances and atypical harmonic progressions, a considerable extent of chromaticism, and ample melodic gestures.

Presented here are works by Marais, Hotteterre, Philidor, Montéclair, D’Anglebert and Dornel, played by Cordevento, consisting of Erik Bosgraaf (recorder), Robert Smith (treble viola da gamba), Izhar Elias (Baroque guitar), Israel Golani (theorbo) and Alessandro Pianu (harpsichord).

The previous recordings of Cordevento have met with enthusiastic critical acclaim, and include works by Vivaldi, Telemann, Bach and the concept album La Monarcha.

Erik Bosgraaf, recorder
Robert Smith, treble viola da gamba
Izhar Elias, Baroque guitar
Israel Golani, theorbo
Alessandro Pianu, harpsichord

Ensemble Cordevento
appears in various guises, depending on the repertoire. ‘Corde e Vento’ is Italian and means ‘strings and winds’. The ensemble originated as a trio, consisting of Erik Bosgraaf (recorder), Izhar Elias (guitar) en Alessandro Pianu (harpsichord and organ). The trio focusses on music from around 1700 and earlier. In 2012 they recorded the successful album La Monarcha, with music of the Spanish territories (Brilliant Classics).

Nowadays Cordevento is also a baroque orchestra which has a growing number of albums to its name, under the direction of recorder player Erik Bosgraaf. The initial Vivaldi recorder concertos were followed in 2011 by adaptations made by Bosgraaf of Bach solo concertos. Vivaldi’s Four Seasons followed in 2013 in a virtuoso version for the recorder, an album which has recently been issued on vinyl as well. Cordevento plays on copies of historical instruments.

The ensemble has performed in Berlin, Utrecht, Barcelona, Modena, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Sofia, Hong Kong and Seoul.

Erik Bosgraaf
is generally considered to be one of the world‘s best recorder players.

His repertoire extends from Vivaldi‘s Four Seasons to tomorrow‘s music. His recording of Jacob van Eyck‘s Der Fluyten Lust-hof sets a new standard and has led to his international breakthrough. Since then, he has recorded other bestsellers, mainly for Brilliant Classics. Around a hundred pieces have been composed for him, among which are twelve concertos. In 2011 Pierre Boulez, one of the greatest composers of the twentieth century, gave him permission to adapt his clarinet composition Dialogue de l‘ombre double for recorder. The world premiere of this new version took place in the sold-out main auditorium of the Amsterdam Concertgebouw; the album was recorded in 2015.

As a soloist, Bosgraaf has worked with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden, the Residentie Orkest The Hague, Noord Nederlands Orkest, Philharmonie Zuidnederland, the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and the Helsinki Baroque Orchestra, among others. He has performed with leading jazz musicians including saxophone player Yuri Honing and cellist Ernst Reijseger and is also known for his recordings for film makers Werner Herzog, Paul and Menno de Nooijer.

Bosgraaf teaches at the Conservatory of Amsterdam and is a visiting professor at the Cracow Music Academy. He has received the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award (2009), Nederlandse Muziekprijs (2011), ECHO Rising Star (2011/2012) and the Northern Dutch music prize Het Gouden Viooltje (2012).

This album contains no booklet.