Gravier Six Sonates pour le Clavecin

Listen to the expressive and virtuosic harpsichord sonatas of French composer Abbé Jean-Baptiste Gravier (1723–1799), beautifully revived by Fernando De Luca on a historic 1754 Blanchet harpsichord.

Composer: Jean-Baptiste Gravier
Artist: Fernando De Luca (harpsichord)

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Jean-Baptiste Gravier, known as l'abbé Gravier, was a French Catholic priest, composer and organist. Born on 21 April 1723 in Lombez, he died on 22 November 1799 in Saintes. He lived and worked throughout his life in the Occitanic region. From the few biographical notes available, we know that Gravier perfected his studies in Toulouse with the organist Jean-Charles Desforats (1690-1762) and was employed in various locations from 1741 to 1790 as organist in Auch, Bordeaux and Saintes. The brief interlude he spent in Paris in 1759 must have been important for his artistic career.

The Six Sonates pour le Clavecin (1759) by Abbé Jean-Baptiste Gravier are among his most remarkable works and demonstrate his talent for the harpsichord. The sonatas are composed of several movements, typically two or three, alternating between fast and slow tempos.
They show an openness to Italian music, with clear melodic lines and rich harmonies. Gravier was able to incorporate elements of virtuosity and personal expression into his compositions, making them both technically demanding and emotionally captivating.

This is another enterprising recording by Fernando De Luca, who has done a great deal to revive forgotten names from 18th-century music with complete surveys of their music on Brilliant Classics, among them Dufour, Foucquet, Jollage and Siret.

‘[De Luca] thinks outside of the box, and he clearly is a man with discerning tastes. These extend to his playing, which is clear-headed and disciplined, but never rigid. “Charm” is such an overused word, but I cannot think of a better one to describe this music and these performances.’ (Fanfare on the Jollage album, January 2024).

Fernando De Luca plays a French harpsichord after Blanchet (1754).

Tracklist:
Harpsichord Sonata No. 1 in F Major:
0:00:00 I. Adagio cantabile
0:05:49 II. Andantino
0:09:03 III. Tambourins I-II

Harpsichord Sonata No. 2 in G Minor:
0:12:47 I. Spiritoso
0:18:49 II. Plainte (Grave, amoroso)

Harpsichord Sonata No. 3 in B-Flat Major:
0:23:37 I. Allegro ma poco
0:27:17 II. Minuetto 1er & 2e (Andante)

Harpsichord Sonata No. 4 in C Minor:
0:31:01 I. Allegro
0:34:31 II. Air 1er & 2e (Affectuoso)

Harpsichord Sonata No. 5 in E-Flat Major:
0:44:27 I. Moderato
0:50:40 II. Chasse (Allegro assai)

Harpsichord Sonata No. 6 in A Minor:
0:53:49 I. Capricio (Allegro)
0:58:20 II. Aria (Andante gratioso)
1:01:37 III. Giga (Presto)

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