L'Orchestre de Louis XIII (1601-1643)

This collection represents a great sample of French instrumental court music from the era 1601 - 1650. Much of it revolves around important events in the relatively short reign of Louis XIII. Like most court music, it feels triumphant. Confident horns blare over rhythms fit for processionals. Nearly all of the music has an optimistic and cheerful feeling. And almost all of it accompanied royal ballets in which the king himself sometimes danced. Some of the happiest music belongs to the section dedicated to Louis XIII's 1615 marriage to Anne of Austria. The cheerful dance music belies the unhappy marriage that followed. Louis and Anne spent most of their time apart, but nonetheless still managed to produce the Sun King, Louis XIV, in 1638. Probably the most interesting music on this collection comes from a concert and ballet given in 1627 to Louis XIII. The music changes mood often in this run of twelve songs. "Les Ombres" somewhat ominously opens the set with rolling drums and slow thick strings. "Les Nimphes de la Grenouillere" probably has one of the catchiest and most memorable melodies on the entire CD. No doubt people danced to this one. It's hard not to even now. A guitar suddenly appears at the beginning of the effervescent "Les Ameriquans". The relatively raucous mood of this piece likely represented the tumultuous lives of people living in what was then known as the New World. The final section of the CD contains a sampling of royal music from the years 1634 to 1650. More great guitar work appears in "Courante de la Reine d'Angleterre 1634". The first really melancholy piece doesn't appear until track 33: "Fantaisie 'Les Pleurs d'Orphée'". Harpsichord accompanies the sad strings. A lot of music from the French court has been lost. The pieces on this CD were complied by André Danican Philidor in 1690. It carries a hefty but topically exhaustive title: "Collection of several old Airs composed for Coronations, Weddings and other Solemn events during the reigns of Henry III, Henry IV and Louis XIII, including several Concerts for their royal entertainment, gathered together by Philidor the Elder in 1690". That title doesn't leave a lot to the imagination concerning the manuscript's contents. Louis XIII's reign saw the expansion of monarchical authority in France (thanks to his chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu), the philosophy of René Descartes, and a whole lot of music. Louis composed works of his own (many now lost) and filled his court with ballet, recitals, and concerts. It's no surprise that some manuscripts survived from a court so laden in music. But the happiness was not to last, as we all know. Louis XIII's reign marked one of France's final monarchical reigns (that ultimately ended with the guillotining of Louis XVI in 1793). A glimpse of what court life was like before the revolution is preserved on this CD, compliments of Jordi Savall and Le Concert des Nations. So here's yet another in a series of historically and musically important releases from Alia Vox. Best of all, though, it makes for a great listen.