Except for a couple of concertos recorded by Stanley Weiner a quarter of a century ago, this is the first representation in the catalogue of Rameau’s contemporary, Jacques Aubert. A member of the Vingt-quatre Violons du Roy, he became leader of the Opera orchestra, also frequently appearing as a soloist in the public Concert spirituel series. His unwieldily-titled Suites of 1730 are regarded as antecedents of the French symphony (the preface sanctions performance by a larger body than a trio, justifying the approach here), but both the present works from the set commence with a French overture, continue with half a dozen dance forms, and end in a chaconne whose refrain is interspersed with episodes.
(The D major Chaconne is the most substantial movement on the disc.) Texturally and harmonically simple, with alternating major and minor sections to provide contrast, the suites are unfailingly cheerful and lively – even the one Sarabande here – and, probing no depths, are content to be elegant and charming.
The advance publicity for Aubert’s book of six concertos for four violins, four years later, claimed them as “the first works of this genre to come from the pen of a Frenchman”, though in fact Corrette had anticipated him by six years. Musically more varied and interesting than the suites, they adopt the Vivaldian three-movement form and begin with a Vivaldian unison passage; though described as being “for four violins”, only the first violin has a solo part – ornate and relatively virtuosic, with multiple-stops in the Gavotte of No. 1. Le carillon, from a later set, reverts to the sonata da chiesa pattern (slow-fast-slow-fast), distributes interest among the instruments less unevenly, and ends in a French character piece. The crisply neat, rhythmically vital playing throughout of Simon Standage and his colleagues is altogether admirable, and the disc is accompanied by exemplary notes by NA, its producer.' --Gramophone
The advance publicity for Aubert’s book of six concertos for four violins, four years later, claimed them as “the first works of this genre to come from the pen of a Frenchman”, though in fact Corrette had anticipated him by six years. Musically more varied and interesting than the suites, they adopt the Vivaldian three-movement form and begin with a Vivaldian unison passage; though described as being “for four violins”, only the first violin has a solo part – ornate and relatively virtuosic, with multiple-stops in the Gavotte of No. 1. Le carillon, from a later set, reverts to the sonata da chiesa pattern (slow-fast-slow-fast), distributes interest among the instruments less unevenly, and ends in a French character piece. The crisply neat, rhythmically vital playing throughout of Simon Standage and his colleagues is altogether admirable, and the disc is accompanied by exemplary notes by NA, its producer.' --Gramophone
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Aubert Jacques
