This release offers exactly what it promises: a manuscript belonging to one Madame Théobon at the court of Louis XIV. Harpsichordist Christophe Rousset identifies her in his notes as Lydie de Théobon, the side squeeze of the king (the presence of an anonymous piece called "Le beau berger Tircis [près de sa chère Annette]" is intriguing in this regard), and the music was probably arranged and copied out for her by other musicians. Rousset bought the manuscript from an online reseller. The music mixes arrangements of popular ...
Read More
This release offers exactly what it promises: a manuscript belonging to one Madame Théobon at the court of Louis XIV. Harpsichordist Christophe Rousset identifies her in his notes as Lydie de Théobon, the side squeeze of the king (the presence of an anonymous piece called "Le beau berger Tircis [près de sa chère Annette]" is intriguing in this regard), and the music was probably arranged and copied out for her by other musicians. Rousset bought the manuscript from an online reseller. The music mixes arrangements of popular operatic airs and dances with works originally for keyboard. Madame de Théobon seems to have been a skilled harpsichordist, to judge from the intricate ornamentation in some of the latter, by such composers as Jean-Henri d'Anglebert and Jacques Champion de Chambonnières, but perhaps the greatest interest lies in the large group of anonymous pieces, many of which have never been recorded anywhere before. Some of these have a folkish tinge, and they are almost without exception clever...
Read Less