Deuxième Récréation de musique, Op.8
Ouverture: Gravement – légèrement - lentement
Sarabande: Lentement
Menuet
Autre menuet
Badinage
Chaconne
Tambourin
Autre tambourin
Jean-Marie Leclair, called "l’aîné" to distinguish him from an identically-named younger brother ("le cadet"), was born in Lyons and died in a Paris street – murdered, probably by a jealous nephew. In between, he pursued a career first as a lace-maker, then as a ballet-master, a violinist (he scored a brilliant success at the Parisian Concert Spirituel, 1728-1736), and finally a composer and teacher in the households, amongst others, of the Princess of Orange and Don Philip of Spain. He is considered the founder of the French violin school, and in his lifetime was often compared and contrasted with the leading Italian virtuoso and pupil of Corelli, Pietro Locatelli. "[Leclair played] like an angel…[Locatelli] like a devil" wrote a German commentator in 1728. But Locatelli and Leclair were friends who respected each other’s playing, and Leclair’s music is sometimes deemed to represent an ideal balance of the Italian and French violin styles, combining the dance-influenced, détaché "French" idiom with cantabile Italianate melodies. As its name suggests, Leclair’s "Deuxième Récréation de musique d’une execution facile" is a light-hearted musical entertainment; a suite comprising a French Overture and a string of more or less lively dance movements. It was published around 1737 in Paris, in an edition engraved by the composer’s wife.
R.G. Bratby, 2002
Copyright Classical Notes.co.uk 2002
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