Voix humaines. Marais: Pièces inédites pour flûte

Featuring

François Lazarevitch
Lucile Boulanger
Éric Bellocq
Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien
Marin Marais

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Compositional Technique

Marin Marais, the composer, was primarily a writer for the viola da gamba, and these newly discovered flute pieces reflect that, often featuring long phrases difficult to play in a single breath.

Interpretation

The performers on this album used embellished versions from the Jean-Pierre de Villeneuve manuscript, which contains novel ornaments and virtuoso variations not found in Marais' original editions.

Instruments

The musette, a type of bagpipe, is played on an original ivory instrument from the Chédeville workshop for this recording.

Composition History

The flute pieces by Marin Marais on this album were recently discovered through the acquisition of two 18th-century manuscripts by American flautist Michael Lynn in 2023.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Marin Marais himself suggested using alternative instruments for his viola da gamba pieces, with the flute being a prominent choice, as stated in the preface to his Livre 2.

Performer Biography

François Lazarevitch, the flautist, spent over a year exploring the newly discovered Marin Marais manuscripts to prepare this album, which challenged his views on his instrument's repertoire.