Pièces de viole et clavecin
Music by Marais, Forqueray and Louis Couperin
Joshua Cheatham – viola da gamba
Skip Sempé – harpsichord
In the year 1740 a French viola player, legal practitioner and man of church Hubert le Blanc wrote a tract in which he compares the styles of two French viola da gamba players Marais and Forqureray, calling the first of them an angel and the second one Satan. Our concert is an illustration of that statement, showing the listener all the possibilities of the instrument, whether it be focused on chords, harmony or melody. The collaboration of Josh Cheatham and Skip Sempé started more than 15 years ago and has found an output in many different concerts and recording projects. Skip Sempé is a highly regarded harpsichord player, chamber musician, conductor, teacher, musicologist and the founder and artistic lead of the ensamble Capricco Stravagante. Josh Cheatham has been already “discovered” during his studies at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, when he started collaboration with a legendary group called La Petite Bande. From there on he has been a member of many leading early music groups, though his most fruitful collaboration has been with Skip Sempé and Carpiccio Stravagante.
Program in Estonian is here.