Reviews

Le Figaro Magazine, March 8th 2008, 3 stars

Music
Stars

In a period in which Baroque had not yet made its great comeback, D.Scarlatti’s success in concerts was never in doubt. For the soft and poetic virtuo-sity of this mysterious giant of the harpsichord, who was born in 1685 – the same year as Bach – and who died in 1757, enchants through its expressive grace. Aline d’Ambricourt, the brilliant French harpsichordist, who studied under Kenneth Gilbert and Christophe Rousset, and who has performed in the majority of prestigious baroque venues, had the idea of bringing him back to life on some of the most renowned instruments of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries – notably the Taskin harpsi-chord in Hamburg’s Museum of Art & Design. This considerable work consists of 550 sonatas, most of which transgress the rules of composition that were in use in the period. Its colours sparkle throughout all the interviews carried out by this young woman, and shine out of all the harpsichords on which she and several other prestigious performers, such as Cyprien Katsaris, were filmed. With his piquant dynamics and Iberian ascents – the majority of Scarlatti’s career was spent in the court of Madrid – Scarlatti merits this tribute, which demonstrates an imagination that transcends time, and whose occasionally ambiguous finesse is emphasised by Aline d’Ambricourt. The CD that accompanies the DVD will be released in the spring.

LA FRANCE CATHOLIQUE

Translation in process.

GOLDBERG, Early Music Magazine n.49 D.Scarlatti

http://www.goldbergweb.com/

The start of December saw the release of Aline d'Ambricourt's new DVD, celebrating the timelessness of the music. Scarlatti stands in an unusual position in musical history. Chronologically, he is between the baroque and the classical. Geographically, he was an Italian working on the physical edge of Europe - in Spain and Portugal. Historically, his music has invited a range of instrumental approaches: some is tightly linked to the harpsichord or organ of is day, but some has born exploration on the newly-invented piano. For this recording, Aline D'Ambricourt, using a variety of Italian, French and English harpsichords, is joined by Katsaris and Kiener on early pianos and Chasseur on organ. Only a small proportion of Scarlatti's music was published in his lifetime. That didn't help his reputation, and for subsequent generations a shortage of biographical information combined with an unusual musical style have tended to deflect attention from him. That is a pity, as there are some very rich musical pickings.
Burney recounts a story of Roseingrave travelling round Europe and being well-received as a harpsichordist, until he encountered Scarlatti, who played as if there were "ten hundred devils at the instrument". It is said that this left Roseingrave in such poor spirit that "if he had been in sight of an instrument with which to have done the deed, the would have cut off his own fingers". Aline D'Ambricourt's visual and aural exploration gives a taste of the extraordinary musicianship of the man who drew so strong a reaction from Roseingrave, and engages both with the performance practice of his time, and with subsequent generations' response to his music.

DVD

Without him, the harpsichord would be nothing

http://www.resmusica.com/

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the death of Domenico Scarlatti, Aline d’Ambricourt invites us on a musical journey in search of the world of the harpsichord, a fascinating but sometimes unfamiliar world. Scarlatti’s legacy of approximately 555 sonatas are neither classical nor baroque in style, since this much-travelled composer can be considered as Italian, Portuguese or Spanish at any one time.

Several sonatas are interpreted for our pleasure on a variety of harpsichords from different periods. One of these in particular, bearing Opus No. K141, probably the most famous of the sonatas, gives the impression that the harpsichord is imitating the guitar. To create this effect Scarlatti uses repeated notes and chords which lend colour in a fairly linear way, producing a bravura work. With no restraint and indeed with much determination Aline d’Ambricourt breathes life back into this brilliant score. Although this film is not a recorded concert, her rigorous interpretation of this and the other sonatas which she has chosen demonstrate that the range of her playing, her impeccable technique and her virtuosity, matched by a keen musical intelligence, are all part of a style which is both flexible and broad-ranging, and energetic when the occasion demands. Sonata Opus No. K446, on the other hand, is played with a light, delicate touch as the artist continues to seek the slightest refinement which will add to the pleasure of the listener. Scarlatti’s compositions are, of course, always fresh enough to ensure that pleasure from the very first notes.

However, as far as Scarlatti is concerned and given the title of the film, we might have wished to learn more about the man himself; musicians who are only interested in finding out more about this inspired composer (born in the same year as Bach and Handel, 1685) could be disappointed. The scenario of the film takes the composer as its starting point and gives the opportunity for several experts (a doctor of musicology, manufacturers and restorers of harpsichords, a collector, a specialist antique dealer) to add to our knowledge about the instrument, but we would have liked to know more about the composer who gave so much to the harpsichord. A more accurate title for the documentary would be “discovering the harpsichord through Scarlatti”, but it is quite difficult to mention the one without speaking about the other.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the harpsichordist, who has a real desire to share with us her passion for the instrument, produced this musical documentary herself. The camera sometimes rests on these old instruments, decorated with painted scenes which make them true works of art, showing us that the harpsichord has always been the symbol of a certain kind of elegance and transforming the documentary into a portrait to delight both the eye and the ear. As for the author of the 555 sonatas, his name will be forever associated with the harpsichord to which he gave so much. To paraphrase Cioran, we could say: “If there is one person to whom the harpsichord owes everything, it is Scarlatti. Without him, the harpsichord would be nothing.”

Jean-Charles Goldstuck
February 2008

Interview

CD Marchand and F. Couperin

A rarely heard musical controversialist in gentler mode, enlivened by the playing. With this recording, Aline d'Ambricourt offers listeners an interesting opportunity to contemplate the relationship between Couperin and Marchand as organists, harpsichordists, court musicians, teachers and contempories. Although Bertrand Porot rightly confines his booklet essays to the musical character of the work included on the CD, the biographical parallels have long fascinated scholars. While these have been recorded before, La Venitienne, the badine, and a short Gavotte, all from 1707 and preserved only in manuscript, are included for the first time on CD. Those who are familiar with the organ music, in which he notoriously delighted in using chromatism and dissonant suspension to desorientate the congregations, will perharps be surprised by the rather less distinctive music for harpsichord. It comes off here as introspective rather than communicative; in place of sentiment, we are fobbed off with waves of ornaments which challenge only the performer. D'Ambricourt dispatches them here unflinchingly. Couperin's portofolio of preludes and allemandes was not published untill 1717. As such the former are jewel-like examples of best practice for both improvisatory and mesured preludes. They exhibit a wonderful coherence, underpinned by elegant harmonic progressions and ornementation. D'Ambricourt brings a marvellous sense of rhythm and pacing to these works, which serves to set the Marchand pieces in further relief.

Aline d’Ambricourt approaches Marchand’s sinuously melodious and profusely ornamented pieces with great vigour, playing more briskly and more tautly overall than either Ketil Haugsand (Simax) or Blandine Verlet (Astrée).

Aline d'Ambricourt's masterstroke is to set Marchand alongside F Couperin in one recording...In a lively, at times attacking, tempo, she brings out the best in her instrument, whilst respecting the flowing melodies and the fluidity of the rhythms.

Denmark

We would like to give you many thanks for your beautiful musical entertainment during the three receptions and events at the Parliament. Your contributions were very melodious and professionnal and it gave a good atmosphere to the exhibition. The many guests very much enjoyed it. A great thank for your contribution and engagement.

France

This was the harpsichord as it was meant to be played; music the way it should be heard. How can a performer’s sensitivity be defined, in its essence, its very truth? While it may seem paradoxical, the quality most needed is fragility. Fragility is not vulnerability...but it is the very faculty of facing these listeners naturally, honestly, with no self-interest. This is all about integrity, just as the innate art of developing a sixth sense makes a true performer the medium for their own creative uniqueness... Aline d'Ambricourt develops her phrasing from within, with a subtle use of agogic accents, developing the transparence of her fingering to highlight and bring out hidden colors and nuances... This is where fragility comes into play - working with colors and nuances in this manner shows a rare level of poetic sensitivity.

Aline d'Ambricourt has great talent and extraordinary charm...

Aline d'Ambricourt gave a concert, delicate and full of energy. She made her harpsichord sing with jubilation. It was astonishing to observe the intense concentration on the face of this young woman when she plays and to see the way her face beamed at the end of each piece...Aline d'Ambricourt delighted her audience with her virtuosity, purity and charm.

Her touch, impeccable, both deep and radiant with an esquise sensibility.