Monday, May 27, 2013

Toyohiko Satoh, De Visée, Lute Music

Robert de Visée (1650-1725), born around Coimbra, Portugal, made his name as lutenest, guitarist, singer and theorbo player in the court of Louis XIV in Paris. He left behind him a small but engaging body of published lute music, which Toyohiko Satoh gives vivid voice to on his CD devoted to the composer, De Visée (Carpe Diem Nostalgia 1202).

Satoh plays on the recording a marvelous old lute made by Laurentius Greiff in 1610. The music is engagigly typical for very good French School lute music of the period--very lyric, multi-part melody and accompanying counterpoint a prominent feature.

Maestro Satoh performs brilliantly, his attention to detail and the beautiful sound of the lute coming through in ways that enchant.

This is one of the nicest such recordings I have yet to hear of this sort. Satoh is a master, the instrument has incredible tone and the music is quite beautiful.

Bravo!

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