Catherine Liddell
1:00 PM Tuesday, 24 June, Harkness Chapel |
• A 17th Century French Gossip Column in Music •
Music of Gallot and Mouton with readings from the letters of Madame de Sévigné and the Memoires of St. Simon
| Pièces in F | Jacques Gallot (fl. Late 17th c.) |
| Allemande La Belle Voilée Duchesse de la Vaillière | |
| Le Tonnere Courante (thunder) | |
| La Comminge Sarabande (region in Pyrenees foothills) |
The “belle voilée” was Louise de la Blaume Le Blanc (1644-1710), lady-in-waiting to the King’s brother’s first wife, Henriette d’Angleterre, and the King’s first mistress. She bore him 3 children before he lost interest in her. He gave her the title of Duchesse de la Valliere and she retired to a convent, hence the reference to the veil.
| Pièces in a minor | Jacques Gallot |
| Les Plaintes de Psichée, Allemande | |
| Courante la Meurtrière/Double (murderous intentions) | |
| Gigue | |
| Chaconne la Montespan |
“Montespan” refers to Athenaïs, Marquise de Montespan, the longest “reigning” Favorite of the King.
| Pièces in c minor | Charles Mouton (ca. 1626- after 1699) |
| Prélude | |
| Tombeau de Madame, Pavane | |
| Le retour de Depit Courante (spite, quarrel) | |
| Double de Depit | |
| La belle Florantine Sarabande | |
| La Libertin[e] Canarie | |
| La belle Espagnolle Chaconne (MP3, 4.4 MB) |
“Madame” refers to Henriette d’Angleterre, Duchesse d’Orleans, the wife of Philippe d’Orleans, the King’s brother.
| La Fontange, Pavane (MP3, 11.8 MB) | Jacques Gallot |
“Fontange” refers to the last mistress of the King. She lasted only 2 years before he tired of her and sent her off to a convent.
| Pièces in C | Jacques Gallot |
| Reading | |
| Tombeau de Mr. de Thurenne, Allemande | |
| L’homme a bonne fortune [Courante] | |
| La Coquette Gavotte | |
| La pie, Gigue (chatterbox) | |
| La Comete Chaconne |
Mr. de Thurenne was a distinguished Mareshal in the French army, killed in battle in 1675. He was also a close friend of Madame de Sévigné.
There really was a comet.
Eleven-course Baroque lute, copy of the Hans Frei instrument in the Warwick County Museum
by Michael Lowe, Oxford (1990)
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