La Chasse Royale:
The Keyboard Manuscript of Antoine Selosse
Harpsichord
Deux-Elles DXL1143
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The Times Classical CD Reviews **** 19th June 2010
Nosing around Camden Lock market in London in 2004, the scholar Peter
Leech spotted a pristine 17th-century manuscript of keyboard music. Of
course he bought it, and here it is. There are intricate variations, dance
music suites, busy toccatas and spirited fugues, mostly new to us, some of
them British, and all delightful. Few composers have been identified.
Terence Charlston showcases this treasure haul brilliantly on a sprightly
harpsichord, a dulcet clavichord and a robust organ from 1702 (maybe
Britain's oldest). Geoff Brown
Musica Dei Donum
The title of this disc, "La Chasse Royale", is the
French translation of "The King's Hunt", one of John Bull's most famous
keyboard pieces. I assume it was chosen because this piece is included in
the manuscript which is the subject of this recording. That it has been
translated into French has a specific reason as well: the manuscript was
once owned by a certain Antoine Selosse, who seems to have lived in
England in the second half of the 17th century, but apparently was of
Flemish origin and whose name indicates that he was French-speaking.
The present owner of the manuscript, Dr. Peter Leech, describes in detail
his research to identify this person and also the next owners of this
collection of keyboard pieces. His notes in the booklet read like a kind
of detective story, with an open end as not all questions can be answered.
There seems to be little reason to doubt that the first owner was a
Catholic. In the manuscript he uses a pseudonym (Padre Antonio Mason),
which was common among Catholic priests in Britain. Dr. Leech was able to
find a person with the name of Antonius Selossius or Antoine Selosse, who
was a professor of music at the English College of Saint Omer from 1659
until his death in 1687. He was born in 1621 at Tourcoing in Flanders. "He
entered the novitiate of the English Jesuit Province at Watten, near St
Omers, in 1658 and was one of several members of the Selosse family who
gravitated towards the Jesuit order from the late sixteenth century until
the early 1700s." Moreover, an Antoine Selosse has been organist in Liège
from 1651 until 1657, and was probably the same person as the Selosse
after whom the manuscript is named.
If this Selosse is indeed identical with the Flemish organist this could
explain the inclusion of keyboard pieces which are French, German or
Italian in style. Some of the compositions are also clearly intended for
the organ, in particular those with a liturgical character. The assumption
that the first owner was indeed a Catholic is supported not only by his
use of a nickname. There is also the fact that the third piece on the
second disc is a fugue on the 'Ite missa est' from the mass and that the
latter part of the title has been made illegible, probably to conceal its
origins. Otherwise, most pieces in the manuscript lack titles. The titles
in the track-list are given by Terence Charlston, who in his notes
indicates which titles are original. The first item of the second disc
only bears the title 'Vox Humana' which indicates that it is specifically
intended for the organ. Most dances are performed here as part of a suite;
some of them have a title like 'courante and variation' (Suite in C)
or 'allemande' (Suite in G). On the basis of stylistic
considerations the latter suite and the allemande from the Suite in D
are attributed to John Roberts, an English keyboard player and composer.
Most compositions in the manuscript are anonymous; only John Bull as the
composer of The King's Hunt is known with certainty. It is possible
that some pieces may have been written by Antoine Selosse himself, in
particular the liturgical works. These are clearly intended for the organ,
but otherwise the choice of the keyboard is left to the performer. That
will always be a matter of debate. The Hunting Lesson is played
here at the organ, and as well as it sounds I would have preferred a
performance at the harpsichord. There are strong reminiscences of Bull's
piece, and I don't think anyone would consider playing this at the organ.
The Ciaccona in C would probably be better played at the
harpsichord as well. The two Allemandes in c minor at the second
disc are interesting. They also appear in a manuscript owned by
Christopher Hogwood, and there they are entitled "fitt for the manicorde".
This was the term used for the clavichord, and it is on this instrument
that Terence Charlston has chosen to perform these two pieces. This is
especially interesting as usually very few - if any - English keyboard
music of the late 17th century is performed on the clavichord. It would
have been nice if some other items would also have been played on this
instrument.
As English keyboard music of the Restoration period receives little
attention by the record industry this production is an important addition
to the repertoire. The music is of very good quality, and the continental
origin of some pieces make this collection all the more remarkable. It
greatly adds to our knowledge of the repertoire played in England in the
second half of the 17th century. Terence Charlston is the ideal
interpreter. He has a special interest in unknown compositions as his
recordings of music by
Albertus Bryne and
Carlo Ignazio Monza show. Like on those discs Charlston provides
engaging and technically impeccable performances, and his notes on
interpretation are illuminating. The recording is immaculate and the
booklet exemplary.
Charlston plays three beautiful instruments. The harpsichord is the copy
of a double-manual instrument by Ruckers of 1624, the clavichord the copy
of a double-fretted instrument after Donat which dates from around 1700
and is in the Leipzig Museum of Musical Instruments. The organ is one of
the oldest instruments in England and was originally built around 1702. So
all these instruments are built close to the time the manuscript was put
together. They are tuned in a kind of meantone temperament which allows
for some spicy harmonies. You are well advised to turn the volume of your
CD player or headphones down in the tracks played at the clavichord. Only
this way you will be able to enjoy the instrument's natural soft and
delicate sound.
Johan van Veen (© 2011) from
http://www.musica-dei-donum.org/cd_reviews/DeuxElles_DXL1143.html
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