Siret: The French Harpsichord Suites

Alperovich, Vera, Zanghì, Daniele Luca

96130

Siret was a French baroque composer, organist and harpsichordist. He was born and died in Troyes, France, where he worked as organist in the Church of Saint Jean and the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. Both his grandfather and his father were organists in Troyes.

Siret lived during the Golden Age of the French harpsichord, the quintessential instrument of its time. From the mid-1600s great musicians such as Chambonnières, Froberger, L. Couperin, and above all F. Couperin, Rameau, D’Anglebert and L. Marchand developed a distinctive style based on a combination of dances to create a suite.

Siret was a friend and admirer of François Couperin, and his first collection of harpsichord pieces, published approximately in 1709, was dedicated to Couperin. The suites of this collection all begin with a French overture, following the tradition established by Jean-Baptiste Lully. Siret's second volume of harpsichord pieces (Second livre de pièces de clavecin, published in 1719) was, along with Couperin's L'art de toucher le clavecin, one of the last publications to include unmeasured preludes.

This new recording presents the two Books of French Harpsichord Suites by Siret. They are played by Vera Alperovich and Daniele Luca Zanghì, playing a copy made by Marco Brighenti of a magnificent two-manual harpsichord by Henry Hemsch, one of the most famous instrument builders of the Baroque.

CD x 2

Brilliant Classics

31/03/2021

5028421961309