Rosamund Ender (viola da gamba) and Erik Dippenaar (harpsichord) present an intimate recital of music from the French Baroque.
During the Baroque period differing artistic temperaments and practices reigned. Italian musicians leaned towards the world of passion and French musicians towards the world of reason and moderation. France saw dance as the epitome of aristocratic art, and the consummate expression of the mastery of body and mind; and dance influenced music composition profoundly.
The permanent search for good taste (le bon gout), grace and elegance was also typically French and the viola da gamba and harpsichord were instruments favoured by French musicians for their refined expressive possibilities.
Erik Dippenaar play solo harpsichord works by Rameau and François Couperin, including the well-loved Les Barricades Mystérieuses. Rosamund Ender play both solo and accompanied viola da gamba repertoire by Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, Marin Marais, Sieur de Machy and Antoine Forqueray.