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Rueda de prensa
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Cahiers du Centre d'Action Culturelle d'Expression Française (Bruxelles) 1/02/1985 Un monde inconnu et fascinant : la guitare baroque. Les Cahiers de la Guitare 10/1984 Il est des évènements qu'il faut saluer avec l'importance qu'ils méritent. Un disque de guitare baroque vient de sortir, qui risque de passer inaperçu parce que ni la marque, Musique en Wallonie, ni le compositeur, François Le Cocq ne sont de ceux qui déclenchent le reflexe de l'achat. Pourtant la mention : Rafael Andia, guitare baroque, peut mettre la puce à l'oreille des connaisseurs. |
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Harmonie 01/1985 S'il est un domaine encore à découvrir, c'est bien la musique de guitare des xviième et xviiième siècles... Il est vrai que les difficultés sont nombreuses : notation en tablature, instruments montés de cordes doubles, technique de jeu particulière. Surmontant les unes et les autres, Rafael Andia nous révèle un répertoire inconnu. Nous savons peu de François Le Cocq dont la carrière s'est déroulée à la Chapelle royale de Bruxelles dans la première moitié du xviiième siècle. Cinq groupes de pièces sont présentées ici, extraites d'un manuscrit heureusement conservé. Bien qu'il ne les intitule pas "suites", l'auteur respecte la convention du genre. Ce sont des séries de danses, la plupart aux titres français. Interprétées sur une guitare copie de "Vieux Paris", elles possèdent un charme irrésistible. Certes, les amateurs de guitare moderne seront surpris par la sonorité de l'instrument et des cordes de boyau, mais ils seront vite captivés. Rafael Andia se joue de la difficulté avec une aisance surprenante; on s'en aperçoit dès la première Allemande; l'allègre Bourrée qui lui succède est une véritable réussite d'élégance. Que préférer dans cet ensemble d'une qualité égale ? La belle Gavotte très ornée ou la Gigue entraînante de la première suite ? La Gavotte de la seconde, plus française avec sa mélodie empruntée à une chanson populaire, ou la Courante pleine de grandeur ? Le bel Adagio, la Gavotte ou les deux Menuets de la suite en ré mineur ? Tout cela sonne à ravir. L'une des qualités essentielles de ce disque, c'est l'égalité sonore, la précision du rythme et l'élégance du phrasé. Croyez-moi, sur un tel instrument, cest une prouesse que d'y parvenir !
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Guitar 08/1984 The name of the record company signals the raising of another international flag over the musical scene, that of the Walloons - we would now recognise them as French-speaking, mainly southern Belgians. Little is known of Le Cocq, presumably one of a family of musicians of that name, six of whom served in the Chapel Royal from 1641 to 1750. Corbetta dedicated some of his music (Varii Scherzi di Sonate per la Chitara Spagnola, Brussels 1648) to the Archdukes Albert and Isabell, creating a wave of popularity for the guitar on which Le Cocq rode successfully. Naturally enough he follows in the French baroque line, writing numerous dance movements but not reflecting the trend toward 'character' pieces. Andia has, perfectly correctly, formed 'suites' by grouping selected pieces into five sets of common key (d, a, d, G and g). The music is not profound, though it is long on charm, a fact that the sleevenote is at pains to point out, though strangely in the English translation: '. . . the minuets, gavottes and bourrees are no more than "repetitions disguised as callipers' playthings and honest and lively bluffs for catching the dupes who have the means to pay for them" '. The original French gives a clue to what is meant by this gobbldeygook: "redites diguisŽes des jouets des Ma”tres ˆ dancer"'- while away a few moments by working it out for, yourself! Since winning second prize in the French Radio Competition in 1973 (a year in which I was in the Jury) Rafael Andia seems to have developed a taste for early music, evidenced here by his adoption of the five-course guitar. His playing is exceptionally clean and nimble, the sound of his reproduction instrument (Charles Besainou, 1983) is warm and full, and his stylistic treatment of the music is meticulous - but without sounding drily academic. There are still many around who regard the five-course guitar as a poor relation of today's instrument - the same people would probably blame a fortepiano for not sounding like a modern Steinway, or a bass gamba for not sounding like a cello - and it must be admitted that the instrument is not everyone's cup of tea (one man's tea may be another man's hemlock); if you are one of these - Procrustean characters you should sample this record. If you are not converted by it, there is little hope that you will be by anything to do with historical/musical truth. It makes joyous, rhythmically alert and resonant sounds that are admirably recorded. Very much recommended.
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Classical Guitar, London Interest in the music of the Baroque has never been higher. Bach is the king, but the rediscovery of S.L. Weiss as a composer and a lutenist of importance was the first modern step in the researching, resuscitation, dusting down and parading before us of a number of lesser (though even that word is not necessarily accurate) figures. Le cocq is one such, a Walloon lutenist of the early 18th century who seems to have captivated many people, including royalty, with his "precision and unexpected grace", to quote Jean-Baptiste de Castillon, the Provost of St Pharaïlde in Ghent. That word "unexpected" is intriguing. Were lutenists of that time so ill thought of? Le Cocq's compositions are mainly short dances, though his allemandes can be complex, with a duration of three or four minutes. Rafael Andia has grouped them according to key, but wisely refrains from the dubious practice of calling the result "suites". They certainly hold plenty of interest for ears already attuned to Bach and Weiss, but the nervily energetic delivery, with abrupt rasgueados that seem to leap from their framework, is somewhat short on the grace which de Castillon's remark leads one to expect. Authenticity is up to date. Scholarship has gone a long way towards defining this music, but there remains the imponderable element of Le Cocq's personal style. How close can we ever get to that? An important and scholarly disc, nevertheless, and one which serious students of baroque music will want to possess.
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http://www.minor7th.com/ While most people are familiar with the classical guitar and its predecessor the lute, many may not realize that in fact there were several other variations on these instruments that were popular in different regions over the past several centuries. One such overlooked instrument is the baroque guitar. In his recent release, baroque guitar virtuoso Rafael Andia performs works composed by the French baroque guitarist and composer François Le Cocq. For anyone who have heard a classical guitar or lute, the baroque guitar is a little perplexing at first, the texture is very similar to the guitar, having about the same number of strings, yet at the same time the characteristic unisons one expects from the double courses on a lute are present. It is and instrument with a unique and refreshing timbre, and as Andia proves, a very versatile instrument as well. The disc is made up entirely of Baroque dances, in the French style of course, affording Andia ample opportunity to guide us through a gentle and stately Sarabande, or to dart excitedly through an energetic Gigue. Throughout the recording Andia's exemplary interpretations are ample evidence of his career as a Baroque Music scholar. For anyone who has yet to experience the Baroque Lute, this album is an excellent choice. |
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