Étienne Ozi's "Nouvelle méthode de basson" (1803) was the first complete French method for learning the bassoon and included 12 progressively difficult sonatas, six of which are featured on this album.
Instruments
The recording features a harpsichord made by Yves Beaupré and Réjean Poirier in 1985, based on a Delin model, and a fortepiano made by Keith Hill in 1984.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Étienne Ozi's method emphasizes that performers must understand the character of a piece to choose appropriate articulation and ornamentation, especially when the score lacks specific instructions.
Recording & Production
The album concludes with a contemporary Bassoon Sonata by François Vallières, composed as a tribute to Étienne Ozi and Ozzy Osbourne, both born on December 9th.
Composer Biography
Étienne Ozi (1754-1813), considered the greatest bassoonist of his time, was very active as a performer, in music publishing, and in establishing the Conservatoire de musique de Paris during a turbulent but musically rich period.
Performer Biography
Mathieu Lussier, the bassoonist on this album, is the Artistic Director of Arion Baroque Orchestra and Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, and has conducted over 100 concerts with Les Violons du Roy.
Compositional Technique
Ozi's "grandes sonates" were composed for pedagogical purposes, demonstrating how to apply the principles of interpretation, articulation, and ornamentation outlined in his bassoon method.
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