A world-premiere recording of elegant, courtly French harpsichord suites by a forgotten name of the early 18th century.
The early life and formation of Charles-Alexandre Jollage is shrouded in obscurity. By the time he enters the historical record in the 1720s, he had become organist for the King of Poland, Stanislas Leszcznski, at that time exiled to France and settled at the castle of Chambord in the Loire region of France.
In 1733 Stanislas left Chambord for Warsaw where he claimed the throne of Poland; meanwhile Jollage seems to have settled in Paris, where his only known set of work was published in 1738, and dedicated to the Marquise of Clermont d’Amboise. After that point, it has been established with greater certainty that he remained in Paris as an organist, and died there in 1761.
This ‘First Book’ of Jollage’s harpsichord works was never followed by a second, but the two suites therein have rewarded the investigation of Fernando De Luca, who has already revived the little-known harpsichord music of Christoph Graupner (96131) and Christophe Moyreau (96285) for Brilliant Classics. Jollage’s refined and elegant idiom reflects the predominant taste in France during the first half of the 18th century, enlivened throughout with touches of originality. Take, for example, the penultimate piece of the First Suite: L’italienne, which is written in an entirely contemporary style perhaps emulating Domenico Scarlatti and even resembling the sonatas of Haydn.
In his booklet essay, Fernando De Luca makes a pertinent comparison between Jollage and the contemporary master Watteau. ‘By combining dance, music and painting, while suspending time and movement, Watteau captures a snapshot of human life… He combines lightness and tragedy to capture a fleeting moment. Jollage draws his creative lifeblood from the same source, while retaining all the characteristics of harpsichord music of his period.’
‘A monumental enterprise… Listeners will want to dip in and out, perhaps taking one partita at a time, admiring both Graupner’s and De Luca’s facility and being rewarded with some attractive music confidently delivered.’ Early Music Review February 2022 (Graupner)
- Charles-Alexandre Jollage (ca. 1700-1761) was a French harpsichordist and composer who is best known for his Premier Livre de Pièces de Clavecin (First Book of Harpsichord Pieces), published in 1738. This collection contains 17 works for harpsichord, including preludes, allemandes, courantes, sarabandes, and gavottes.
- Jollage's Premier Livre de Pièces de Clavecin showcases his elegant and refined style, which was characteristic of the French classical tradition of the mid-18th century. His compositions are characterized by their clear and balanced structure, delicate ornamentation, and refined use of harmony.
- Jollage's Premier Livre de Pièces de Clavecin was well-received by critics and performers alike, and it quickly became a popular choice for harpsichordists in France and beyond. The collection was influential in shaping the development of the harpsichord repertoire in the mid-18th century and helped to establish the French classical style as a dominant force in European music.
- Played by Fernando De Luca, one of Italy’s foremost harpsichord players, who recorded to great critical acclaim the complete keyboard works by Graupner (BC96131) and Moyreau (BC96285), published by Brilliant Classics.
