只得40年人生的法國大提琴家Jean Barrière（1707-1747）生前出版了四輯大提琴奏鳴曲，每輯六首。我之所以試了這張剛剛再版、已有20年歷史的舊錄音，是因為見到法國巴洛克竟然有大提琴作品。
那時大提琴正在取代低音古提琴的位置，在齊奏及獨奏的層面亦然，但又未到獨領風騷的地步。Barrière這些作品其實和法國低音古提琴音樂相差甚遠，像意大利巴洛克多過法國巴洛克，覺得法式幽玄還是有點悶的朋友，會有像聽韋華第的刺激感覺。
這碟從四輯共24首奏鳴曲中挑選六首，它們大部份都是通奏低音奏鳴曲，即是獨奏大提琴之下，並不只是有一部古鍵琴作伴奏，而是多至三四人的低音或和弦樂器。唯一例外，也是我覺得全碟最特別的，是軌九至十一的雙大提琴奏鳴曲，就只有兩支大提琴，沒有其他。對炫技大提琴二重奏曲目有興趣的朋友，甚至可以上網找樂譜拉拉看。
從這首雙大提琴奏鳴曲繼續聽下去有兩首四樂章、慢快慢快的奏鳴曲，當中也有一些舞曲樂章。說這批作品沒有法國味道也不正確，因為樂譜指定的裝飾音還是比一般意大利風格的作品為多，在快板這些裝飾音為本來都頗快的樂句增添難度。在慢板，例如軌18的薩拉班舞曲，可謂把法式的幽幻及意式的旋律精美的揉合。
This is a reissue of an old recording from 2001. I hadn’t expected there was cello music in French baroque and that drew my attention. In cello virtuoso Jean Barrière (1707-1747)’s times, the viola da gamba was gradually losing popularity to the cello.
But actually hearing the music was another surprise. It sounded much more Italian than French; more Vivaldi than Marais or Couperin. Barrière published four books of cello sonatas, each book containing six sonatas. And the performers chose six sonatas out of the total of 24.
Yet these are basso continuo sonatas, the solo cello (sometimes Cocset chose to plays on tenor cello or bass violin) was supported by gamba, harpsichord, theorbo, sometimes another cello. To me, the most special sonata was one written for two cellos (tracks 9-11). The moto perpetuo style once again reminded me of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. For those of you who play the cello, go ahead and download a score from IMSLP, you and your friend would be overjoyed.
What followed were two four-movement sonatas in the sonata da chiesa mode. It wasn’t accurate to say the French flavour was totally absent. Some written-in ornaments were more French than Italian, in the quick movements, these ornaments provided the performer with more hurdles. On the other hand, the Sarabande of track 18 was a delightful mix of French elegance and Italian melodiousness.