Chansons d’Amour = Music by Michel MAGNE, Louis CAIX D’HERVELOIS, Jean FERRAT, Marin MARAIS, Louis GUGLIELMI, Emile STERN, Hubert GIRAUD, LEGRAND, BACH, BREL, Antoine FORQUERAY and Roland VINCENT – Ralph Rousseau, gamba/ Matangi Q. – Challenge Classics

by | Mar 23, 2009 | Classical CD Reviews | 0 comments

Chansons d’Amour = Music by Michel MAGNE, Louis CAIX D’HERVELOIS, Jean FERRAT, Marin MARAIS, Louis GUGLIELMI, Emile STERN, Hubert GIRAUD, Michel LEGRAND, Johann Sebastian BACH, Jacques BREL, Antoine FORQUERAY and Roland VINCENT – Ralph Rousseau, gamba/ Hein Van De Geyn, double bass/Matangi String Quartet – Challenge Classics 72305, 52:40 ****(*) [Distr. by May Audio]:

This new release from gambist Ralph Rousseau (www.gambamania.com) shows you don’t have to travel back in time to hear sumptuous gamba sounds. "Chansons d’amour," a new Challenge Classics release featuring Rousseau, the Matangi String Quartet and double-bassist Hein Van de Geyn, begins with an unfairly ethereal "Cent mill chansons" by Michel Magne (1930-1984) and concludes with Roland Vincent’s engaging if goofy "Pour un flirt."

In between, Rousseau floruishes his six-string bass gamba by Georg Aman (Augsburg, early 18th century), in a program of gambists’ favorites by Caix d’Hervelois, Marais and Forqueray interleaved with French 20th century pop hits by Guglielmi (Edith Piaf’s favorite, "La vie en rose"), Michel Legrand and Jacques Brel.

This is, of course, totally not for any but the most daring purist, but perfect for the end of a gamboling gambist’s night out on the town. The liner notes have a nice interview with Rousseau whose cornucopia of mellifluous sounds has been captured in Technicolor beauty at Galaxy Studies in Mol, Belgium (located in the brainy east end of Belgium, and home to two former Miss Belgiums).

– Laurence Vittes

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